freesia op2
by Aloh Dark
Summary: Currently: Fwella's back and another fight begins. DR slash. Please review.
1. First Chapter

This title started out just to be a stand in title, but I fell in love with it. Now, I don't want another title for this. After you read this chapter, the title will make more sense.

I'll use a lot of songs in this fic. A lot of songs that don't, and will never, belong to me. Some of them you might have heard about, some of them you might not have, but they are all awesome, in my opinion. Draco's going to share my taste in music, so that means it's going to be all over the place. Mostly the music will be modern things out in America, because that's where I unfortunately live. Some will be from other countries. Sometimes the songs will let some insight into how Draco's feeling, but sometimes, it'll just be listened to for the same reasons anyone listens to music.

Anyway, expect chapters every three to four weeks. I'm working on a bunch of things right now and even though it's summer, that doesn't mean I have all the time in the world. But, since this chapter is so incredibly short, expect chapter two to be out at the end of the week.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, which is probably a good thing. The lovely J.K.Rowling owns everything Harry Potter. Oh, and check out her site (www. jkrowling. com) if you haven't because it's awesome. I also don't own Gackt, who is one of the best things to ever happen to Japan, which is saying something. fressia op.2 is off of his Mars cd.

Claimer: The plot line belongs to me.

Warning: Nothing yet. Will be Draco/Ron slash. They are going to have sex, but that'll come after they get together, which isn't in the close future, unfortunately.

Spoilers: Up to OotP. Though, we will be ignoring certain facts from that because I'm writing this fic and can do that if I want to. You'll see which facts are ignored, and which aren't.

Anyway, on with the fic!!! Sorry for the shortness. Trust me, the rest of the chapters are long enough to really make up for it. They're my longest chapters yet.

Oh, and is being mean and not showing those little swigly things even though they should be shown. So, bettwen 'freesia' and 'op.2', and after 'op.2' there's supposed to be those little swigly lines. Don't know why they aren't allowed to show up, because I want them to be there. I'm going to have to find a new divder if they don't show up in my next chapter.

freesia op.2 by Aloh Dark

First Chapter

Draco lay on his bed in his room at the Manor. He supposed he should call it 'home' and not 'the Manor' since he had lived there his whole life. But, it never felt like a true home to him. He had yet to find that feeling of being 'home.'

To his side a small orb glowed a soft, shimmering blue. It was clouded in it's own smoky aura that showed that it was on. From the orb 'freesia op.2 ' was playing. It was one song of many from his Gackt orb but it was the song he wanted at the moment.

He didn't know why he wanted the song to play continually, but he had to doing so. He supposed there was a minor part of him that longed for the feelings provoked in him. Feelings he couldn't describe to anyone even if he wanted to. He couldn't even place what he was feeling to himself. He was just.. feeling.

He passed his hand through the orb and whispered "Louder" so the volume would raise. He walked across the room to his piano and sat. He half listened to the music that was coming from the orb and half watched his fingers dart over the keys.

He picked up a quill from nearby and placed it, tip down, on blank pages of sheet music. He then started to play, knowing the quill will take down any notes he played. He played for a long time and when he finally stopped his fingers began to throb. He hadn't even noticed that it had gotten long past dark outside his windows. He shifted through the pages of music the quill had written, looking them over. Most of it was useless but some could be salvaged to make something. Draco's secret passion was composing.

He felt numb, from the soul out.

With a sigh he set down the pages and walked back to his bed. He stripped bare and just stared at the bed between the hangings. In disgust he turned away. he grabbed a soft blanket from the drawer where extra linen was kept and walked over to his bay window. He curled up under the blanket and rested his head against the panes of glass.

"Welcome Home Draco." He whispered to himself as he drifted off. While freesia op.2 still played loudly in the background.


	2. Second Chapter

Really quick update before I head down to Virginia! Hope everyone likes it and sorry for not getting it out last week. I was busy with my sister's graduation party and a friend's sweet sixteen. Now, I'm heading out. Hope y'all enjoy.

Disclaimer: Gackt and Three Days Grace don't belong to me and neither does Harry Potter. They all belong to their respective owners. The plot is mine however and I shall be seriously pissed if anyone steals that.

Warning: Nothing yet. Will be Draco/Ron slash. They are going to have sex, but that'll come after they get together, which isn't in the close future, unfortunately.

Spoilers: Up to OotP. Though, we will be ignoring certain facts from that because I'm writing this fic and can do that if I want to. You'll see which facts are ignored, and which aren't.

Oh, and sorry. But three weeks until a new chapter. These are really long, especially for me, so long time between. That and I'm still working on EotA and a few original fics. So, three weeks and I'll be back with this.

Freesia op.2 by Aloh Dark

Second Chapter

When Draco woke the next morning the blanket he'd curled up in was tangled in his legs and covered him just enough so he was decent. His neck hurt and his face was cold from where it'd been leaning against the glass panes. He was filled with little aches from a night spent out of bed and in an unusual position. 'At least,' Draco thought 'I didn't fall asleep at the piano.' From experience Draco knew those pains were some of the worst.

When he'd finally stretched the kinks from his neck he turned to the house elf beside him. It was a familiar, old, and strangely human-like face that had been waking Draco up for as long as he could remember. Draco gave a small, half smile in greeting.

"Welcomes homes and Good Mornings you to Master Young Malfoy Draco." The elf house said with a small bob of its head. His voice was kindly, nearly grandfatherly.

Draco yawned while he rolled his eyes. "Vek, you know by now to just call me Draco when we're alone."

Vek smiled. "Remind me always must."  
Draco smiled at him and stood up. He had no modesty in front of this particular house elf. He'd seen more of Draco than Draco has himself. There was no need for modesty in front of Vek either. He'd only scoff.

"Music loud is." Vek commented.

Draco shrugged a bit. "Had it on loud last night. I was playing." He waved his hand through the smoky, shimmering blue orb to turn it off. The silence was a little weird after having the music on in the background for such a long time.

"Breaking soon there is of fast." Vek told Draco as he walked into the bath chamber to the left.

Draco nodded to himself as he pulled out a pair of grey trousers and a royal blue shirt. He threw grey socks onto the cloths and walked into the bathroom.

It was more of a chamber than a room since it was large and spacious. There were two very large tubs and two shower stalls, one small and one large. The walls were covered with unbreakable glass that reflected any and all light in the room. The light coming from the sky lights by day, and the many candles in the room by night. There was a small alcove on the right side of the room where the toilet and sinks were.

Vek had filled the smallest tub with steaming water and was laying out the necessary bottles for bathing. He didn't bother to glance at Draco as he went about his duties. They both knew that Draco could readily the bath by himself, and sometimes would if he wanted to be alone. But they both knew that today was a day when Draco would need Vek's calming comfort, for a little while anyway.

Draco climbed into the tub and immersed himself under the water. He stayed under for as long as he could hold his breath before breaking for air. Vek stood next to the tub with a wash cloth in hand and a towel over his shoulder.

Draco grabbed the small cloth with a quick tug. "I'm too old for you to be washing me now."

Vek scoffed silently but didn't protest. He just waited a few feet away in case Draco needed him.

"Am I going to be alone?" Draco asked. It was a common question form Draco before taking meals at the Manor.

"Are here Mother, Father both." Vek said.

Draco nodded and sighed. With a soapy snap of his fingers, the blue orb flew towards him. It wasn't smoky, showing that it was off. He ran his hand through it and smoke began to emit from it. "Lapis. Repeat track." He told the orb and the song began to play.

Vek wrinkled his nose as the music began to play. Draco knew he didn't much like Gackt, but Draco played it anyway. Vek wouldn't say anything outright against it. He was still just a house elf and Draco was his master.

When Draco got out of the bath he'd made up his mind. "Go tell Winny to tell Mother and Father I shall not be joining them." He grabbed the towel from Vek.

Vek looked startled. It was the first time Draco had ever said that. "Ye-yes." He said simply before disappearing.

Draco dried his hair and body by roughly rubbing the towel over his body. He ignored the cloths he'd thrown on his bed and pulled on a pair of loose, thin pants and a baggy undershirt. He loosed the string that held the top half of the shirt together and let them hang.

He called the music orb from the bathroom to him. It came, still playing 'Lapis.' Draco waved his hand through the orb and commanded it to stop. The music turned off and the orb became shiny and solid. He walked over to a box by his night stand and opened it up. He placed the orb in an empty spot and pulled out a sea-green orb. He squeezed it to turn it on and then waved his hand through it when it was no longer a solid. He commanded it to play 'Just Like You' on repeat before walking away.

He sat down at his window and waited for the angry message from his father. He didn't have to wait long. Winny, a thin house elf with a mousy face, stood before him wringing her hands.

"Masters says you is to go down. Masters says that Winny is to says to you to go down." She said, her eyes were big. Draco recalled that this particular house elf was always nervous.

"Tell my father 'no.'" Draco said. He wanted to push this horse as far as it could go.

Winny's eyes grew impossibly larger as she shook her head. She disappeared while still nodding.

Draco hadn't noticed that Vek had come back until an apple fell into his lap. Draco looked up as he grabbed the apple from his lap. He nodded his thanks and took a bite. When his father stormed in he was a quarter of the way done with his apple and staring out the window.

"Draconis Octavian Malfoy." He hissed through his teeth.

Draco looked calmly up. He casually paused the song and asked, "Yes Father?"

"Why are you not coming to breakfast?" He asked calmly. The anger that was in his voice was seemingly gone.

Draco shrugged and turned back to the window. "Because I'd rather not. In fact, I think I'm going to go back to bed." Draco nodded to the window as if to confirm and solidify that statement.

"No." Lucius said.

"No?" Draco asked, turning back to his father.

"No." Lucius said again, firmer.

Draco gave a half-snort, half-laugh. "I don't think you could stop me."

"You are going to be down stairs for breakfast in five minutes." Lucius told him. "Not. Lazing about."

Draco pretended to yawn and held the back of his hand to his mouth. "No." He said with a real yawn. "I think I am going to go back to bed. I am very tired. It was a long day, yesterday. My first day back home and all that." The hidden ice in Draco's voice didn't go unnoticed by Lucius.

Lucius smirked. "This is a pathetic act of rebellion, isn't it?" He scoffed. "This is all because we didn't welcome you home yesterday." Lucius sneered. "Oh do grow up, dear boy. You aren't welcome everywhere." He said with malice.

Draco turned away from him without comment. Lucius' lips pursed as he turned on heal and left the room. He slammed the door in his wake.

"Teasing so Master healthy not." Vek said.

Draco turned to the house elf and smiled bitterly. "But Vek, he has to learn he's not welcome everywhere." He said and turned the music back on.

When Vek left a little while later, Draco turned off his music and glanced about his room. He placed the orb back into its spot in the box before shutting the lid. He changed into a pair of loose, outdoor pants and boots. He didn't want to stay indoors at all. He shrunk down the box filled with music orbs and placed it in his pocket.

He walked through the Manor and across the grounds to the stables. He greeted the horses as he walked past them. A few he stopped and petted before moving on. When he stopped he was in front of a beautiful, pure white Pegasus. He'd raised the mare from birth and had missed it greatly whenever he was at school.

/I hate being cooped up like this./ An annoyed voice popped into Draco's head.

Draco smiled and walked into her spacious box. "I know, Fwella. But you know that Lucius can't tell the difference between you and a horse with wings."

The Pegasus snorted and shook her head. _/Well, don't just stand there boy. Let me out so we can fly. Your gracious father had the lock fixed again./_

Draco unlocked the gate to the corral and opened the door wide. Fwella gracefully left the stall as he watched. "Do you have objections to bareback today?" He asked her.

She shook her head 'no' and kneeled her forelegs so it would be easier for Draco to mount. Draco climbed on and settled on her. _/No hackamore either? You're risking it today./_

"I know you could balance a babe on your back while in flight and never have the whelp wake up. I trust you can keep me on you."

/I may just have to buck then. But only a little./

Draco laughed but caught his breath in his throat as she took wing. She pumped her wings to get higher and higher.

/Oh, it's been ages since I've been able to fly properly!/ She said joyfully.

"Just enjoy it while it last. If Lucius gets really angry about me disobeying him, he may just lock you up so I can't escape."

Draco laughed as she colorfully explained what exactly she thought of that.

They flew a while in silence, enjoying both the flight and each others company. Draco knew she'd invoked her invisibility as they flew by the pleasant tingling in his toes. It was all for the best, he supposed, since they were flying towards the Weasley property.

Unbeknownst to anyone but the Malfoy's, the Manor, which was a summer home in all actuality, was situated very close to the Weasley's. Draco hadn't even known that fact until Fwella had gotten old enough, and strong enough, to fly all the way there. Both of them had enough common sense never to let it be known that they knew that little secret.

One little thing about invisibility is that it makes it so people can't see you, but things can still hit you. That was something Fwella seemed to forget sometimes. Which is why when an old, beat-up quaffle hit her leg she screamed.

Draco cringed at the human-like sound. He noticed that even though she'd dropped the invisibility on her, she still had enough sense not to drop it off him. So his toes still tingled as five flaming red-haired Weasleys flew towards Fwella in startlement.

/That hurt!!!/ She yelled at them.

He noticed how the four of the five jumped a bit in shock from hearing her in their minds. Only the eldest didn't look surprised at all. Draco wondered which Weasley it was as he caught sight of the dragon tooth in his ear.

"We're very sorry miss." The eldest one said.

Fwella tossed her mane, as if to shrug. _/Just be more careful. Empty air isn't always so empty./_

"Now that we know, we will." He said. "I am Bill, by the way. Bill Weasley."

/The twins are Fred and George. The girl is Ginny and the other is Weasel./ Draco thought-told Fwella.

/No need for introductions. I know who the rest of you are. My master has informed me of you./ She nodded to each in turn. _/I am Fwella./_

"Your master?" Fred, or maybe it was George, asked. "Who's that?"

/Why the one who lives in the Manor to the north east of here./

"There's a manor to the north east?" Ron, this time.

/Yes, a large one indeed./

/You're enjoying this aren't you? Having me here, in the midst of Weasley and having them none-the-wiser./

/He doesn't know when to be quiet for his own good sometimes so I just have to get away. Maybe I should convince him to drop the invisibility so you could see him./ Her voice held too much malicious joy for Draco's liking so he wisely stayed quiet. Although he did dig his heals into her sides just a little painfully.

Bill smiled. "Don't bother miss. We don't need to bother our neighbors who don't want to be bothered." There was something in Bill's eyes that Draco just didn't like. It seemed like he knew something he wasn't going to let on.

"Okay Weasley's, let's get back to our game!" Billy said loudly. "And try not to hit any invisible flying lady's this time!"

Fwella made a sound that Draco knew to be her laugh. She nodded to Bill and Bill bowed back. She watched them as they flew back to their game before flying off. When they were safely out of ear shot, Draco began to rant.

"Fwella! How dare you!" He yelled. "Insulting me like that!"

/You can be such a baby sometimes./ Fwella said back to him. _/Geesh, loosen up a bit./_

Draco huffed. "You know how much I hate the Weasley's." Draco muttered.

/No, all I know is that you love spying on them. Especially,/

"I swear to you if you finish that thought I will viciously murder you." Draco nearly snared. Fwella laughed softly through her nose in and Draco could almost hear her saying 'denial' repeatedly. "Just please, take me away and don't bring me back until dinner."

/Won't you get hungry?/

"You can always hide your wings and we can ride into town. We've done it before."

When Draco arrived home, his father was waiting for him in his study. Vek had personally met him at Fwella's stall to escort him. Vek said nothing about the meeting to Draco as he lead the boy towards the room. But when they reached the door, Vek sent Draco a sort of comforting look before departing.

"You wanted to see me Sir?" Draco asked as he walked into the room.

"Take a seat." Lucius said, with a wave of a hand. His head was down and he was looking over some papers. Draco took a seat before his father and waited for Lucius to look up.

When Lucius looked up he was wearing his customary reading glasses. He didn't need them but used them when he wanted to seem important. Draco wasn't fooled by his fathers clam appearance, he knew that behind Lucuis' eyes, he was livid.

"I hope that you said your proper good-byes to that flying horse of yours. It'll most likely be disposed of by morning." Lucius told Draco as if he were a stranger asking for the time.

Draco's eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat. "Fwella is mine, you can't do anything to her."

"She lives in my stables and off of my sickles. I can do what I want with her." Lucius sat back in his chair. "Besides, I can't have you running away again, now can I. Especially after I gave you a direct order."

"Father, I need a little freedom." Draco began thinking fast. He knew exactly what his father wanted to hear. All he had to do was say it in the right way. "I admit that I acted recklessly, and foolishly this morning. It was very wrong of me to do so. It was very childish and after spending the day away, I realized something very important."

Lucius nodded. "Go on. What did you learn?"

"I realized that to get the freedom I want, that I can't act like a child to try and get it. I must prove myself to be able to think and act rationally if I want to be taken seriously. I promise to try and act more responsible and mature in the future."

Lucius nodded with a slight smile. "Eloquently spoken, my son. Fwella shall be healthy for you when your punishment is over in a week. Until that time, you are under house arrest."

Draco's protest died on his lips. "Yes father. I understand."

"I only do this because I love you." Lucius said kindly. "You know that, right?"

Draco smiled and lowered his eyes. "I know father."

"Of course you do." Lucius said, leaning back over his papers. "You may leave."

Draco stood and gave Lucius a small bow before leaving. He walked with his head high and his back straight until he reached the landing that lead to his room.

"If this were a musical, I'd dance my way to my room while singing." Draco muttered.

"You will not, dear boy!" An old, stuffy painting of a long dead ancestor said behind him. "It's un-Malfoy like!"

Draco ignored the portrait with a sigh and walked to his room. When he reached it, he whispered his password softly and opened the door. He shut the door with his foot and leaned back against the heavy oak. He pulled the shrunken box out of pocket. He returned it to its original size and pulled the blue orb. He threw the box to the side as he snapped his fingers. 'Lapis' began to play throughout the room.

Draco rested his head against the wood as he listened to the music. Slowly, he slid down the door until he was on the ground. Draco wrapped his arms around his legs and buried his head in his knees while the violin played. The blood-red rays of sunset fell across his floor making everything glow, but not reaching him.

AN: Figured I'd do thank you's at the bottom so you can skip over them if you want. 

Thanks to!!!!!!!!

Eve Granger!!!!! Thanks, so much!!! You're the first reviewer so you get a special place in my heart!!! Thanks so much for the review and I hope you like the rest of this!!!

I Heart DM 11!!!!! Lol, I know what you mean about reading every r/d fic. I could read everyone till the day I die. And don't worry about Draco. He'll get better. I promise!

dataport!!!!! Thanks so much. Hope that this keeps your interest!

Mydracomalfoy!!!!! Here's more!! Here's more!! Here's more!!!

ElvenGirl2!!!! Lol, well I hope that this is good even though you've been back from camp for a while. Keep reading, I know you'll like it!


	3. Third Chapter

So!! I just recently finished reading all of Naruto (up to chapter 226) and have fallen back in love with SasuNaru because of the INCREDIBLY slashy positions they're in during chapter, I believe, 219 or 218. Either one of those. So! If anyone has some SasuNaru, I'd be MOST happy to read it! In fact, I have a SasuNaru lemon that I wrote last week and if anyone wants to read that, drop me a line and I'll get it to you.

Point 2!! Eyes of the Angel (for any of you that follow it) is being killed by that infernal disease named Writers Blocked. I have about a page or so write of the next chapter, but that's it. I've even gotten help with it and still can't work it out. This is what I get for procrastination. sigh

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything related to Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Goddess J.K.Rowling who will hopefully soon bestow us with Book Six. Freesia op.2 doesn't belong to me either. It belongs to my beloved Gackt, of whom I just found nekky pics. swoons like the fan girl she is coughs Anyway, this fic is done solely for fun and no profit is being made off of it. In fact, I'm losing money doing this and not working.

Warning: OOC!Draco. Will be Draco/Ron slash. They are going to have sex, but that'll come after they get together, which isn't in the close future, unfortunately.

sniff Next update will be during the new school year.

Freesia op.2 by Aloh Dark

Third Chapter

By the time his house arrest was over, Draco had finished a composition he'd been working on for months, and just started the violin complement.

His mother was throwing a beginning of summer party with all her friends and their families. The women were wearing ball gowns and the men tux's. It was all very old fashioned and everyone seemed to love that theme.

Outside the giant glass windows of the ball room, rain was pouring down with no signs of ever stopping. It was only the beginning of the ball, since it was still only early evening, and no one was dancing since dinner had not yet been served. The women were in groups about the dance floor, chatting. The men were all in side gaming rooms where Lucius was reigning in some sort of gambling game or another. And to Draco displeasure, groups of chattering girls and boys of his age were also in attendance in the ballroom.

Draco himself was standing in the galley where the musicians were setting up, staring down at all of the party goers.

"You've got the looks of someone who's dreading going down but dreading what will happen if you don't." A feminine voice said from behind Draco. Draco turned and looked at a girl a few years older than himself, tuning a violin. "If it's not too bold for me to say so."

Draco shook his head no. "My mothers parties are not my favorite things, no." Draco watched her pull her instrument from its case and lay in across her lap. "A Viviendo I see."

The girl smiled proudly at him. "It's been in my family for generations. It still has its original finish too." She said, holding it up to him to see.

Draco reached his hands out to grab it, but waited for her nod before taking it. He held it up to the light and cast an inspecting eye over the whole of it. "I heard it said that he mixed his own blood into the finish of every one of his violins." He comments as he handed it back to her. "Wither or not that's true, that is a remarkable instrument."

"Perchance you will still have that assumption after a few solo's during the ball." She said. Then she smirked. "That is, if you stay found, Sir."

Draco gave her a half-smile. "I will have to stay found for one solo, in the least." He gave her a nod as he left.

Draco managed to avoid having to play friendly host until dinner, when he was forced to join the guest for an early dinner. His mother had situated his seat to be surrounded by pretty, available, pureblood girls. He sarcastically bless her soul as he forced a smile to them all, already hating the party.

By the end of the meal he had a migraine and his face hurt from forcing so many smiles. At that moment, he could gladly slit his own throat if it meant just even a moments rest. Unfortunately that rest was sure to never come as he was forced to speak with all the children his age, like a good host. When he was finally done, he grabbed himself a wine glass and hid himself in a sitting room off the ballroom. It was there that he was found.

Draco was leaning against the window frame, swirling the wine glass between his fingers before taking a sip. He was staring into the night sky, completely oblivious to the world as he thought of what he could be doing instead of attending the ball.

"Draco Malfoy?" A soft, high voice asked from behind him.

Draco turned to face a girl about his age standing just inside the doorway. She had dark red hair and naturally pale features. Her face was heart shaped and her lips slightly pouty. Her nose was small, and delicate. Her eyes were a soft, sky blue that seemed to open up to her very soul. Her small, curvy frame was wrapped in a blue dress that accented her eyes and hair with lace around the edges. The neck of her dress hung low and showed an ample bosom while still keeping her decent.

"Yes?" He asked her with a raised eyebrow.

She smiled shyly at him. "Our mothers sent me to find you. They wish you to lead the next solo. I believe it's a violin solo."

Draco decided that it wouldn't do well to refuse, not if he wanted to keep playing the part he'd set up for his father the past week. He bowed to her and smiled. "It would be my honor." He told her.

Her eyes began to twinkle. "Good because I would've had a time dragging you from this room."

"Did they suggest you do that if I didn't come?" He asked as he tucked her arm into his.

"By your hair, no less." She replied. Draco laughed softly with her as he lead the way back to the ballroom.

Draco could help but be amazed by the violinist's solo. It was the same girl he'd talked to earlier and her Viviendo was amazing. It was a truly beautiful instrument that held a magic all its own. Bianca, the girl he danced with, turned out to not have an ear at all for music. So Draco's wonder at the instrument wasn't understood.

When Draco returned to the room he'd previously holed himself up in with another glass of wine, he was surprised to see his father.

"Father." Draco greeted. "Why aren't you out enjoying the party."

"Because you are in here like a recluse." He said coldly.

"I don't like balls." Draco said with a shrug. "I never have, you know that."

"I do not care if you like them or not, you are not to hole yourself up in here! You are ruining your image! And mine!" Lucius snapped.

Draco took a sip of wine and felt his migraine return full force. He knew his father was drunk from the way he was acting. His father was vicious when he drank. "Father, I am not going back out there."

"Yes you are! I will drag you out there kicking and screaming if I have to! You will play your role!"

"And if I don't want to?" Draco snapped his eyes blazing. He realized suddenly that he had had too much wine and wouldn't be able to hold his tongue. "And if I'm sick your goddamn roles? What then?!"

"Don't you dare take the tone with me!" Lucius snapped. "You will act as you are supposed to! You are the heir to the Malfoy throne!"

"I don't want it!" Draco screamed. "I don't want a throne built on lies and prejudice!"

Lucius glared at his son. "You lucky we have guest." He hissed. "I wouldn't hesitate you Crucio you where you stand otherwise."

Suddenly Draco's anger faded as he faced his father. He realized his father would do it if there were no guest around. But in that same instant, he saw a weak man. A weak man that was desperately holding onto something falling quickly from his grasp. Like water running through his fingers. The formidable man before him was suddenly weak and holed on all sides.

Draco shook his head and looked away. "If I am inquired after, tell them I am suddenly indisposed." And with that, Draco bow himself out and made his way to the garden gates.

Draco walked across the garden paths through the rain. His head didn't know where it was going, but his feet did as he stopped before the stables. His feet carried him down the long aisle and towards a loving gaze.

__

/My love, what is it?/ Fwella asked softly. /_Aren't you supposed to be at the ball?/_

Draco slid through her stall door and threw his arms around her neck. She slowly sank to the floor and pulled him down with her.

"I can't." Draco whispered. "Not anymore. I don't know why. But I can't." He told her brokenly.

__

/Can't what?/

"Do this. Go on acting like this. I don't know why. But I'm so sick of it. So sick of it all."

Fwella could tell that the boy was on the edge of tears. She didn't know what had just happened at the house. She didn't even know what had happened at the school the past year to make him so tense and sad. But she could feel the loneliness coming off of him in waves since the moment he'd gotten back to the Manor.

__

/Come love. Lets take to wing. It doesn't matter if it's raining. The fly will do us good./ She goaded him up and onto her back. They walked out of the stall and into the corral. There, with the rain softly falling on them, she took flight.

Draco didn't know how long they'd flown for, or when he'd fallen asleep. But he knew something was wrong from the moment he'd woken up because of a lighting flash. Fwella screamed and jerked back, bucking him from his seat. She seemed to notice he was slipping against her wet fur as he tried to hang on. She flew as fast as she dared towards the ground to make it that much safer in case he did fall. Once he thought he'd had a strong hold, thunder shook the air and his grip. Seemingly slowly, his fingers lost their grip and he fell to the ground.

When he landed it was with a sickening jolt and the mud sucked him to the ground. He moaned as he lay in the mud, trying to get his bearings. His left leg was throbbing with pain and his right arm was twisted painfully. He shifted and released the pressure on his arm, but only increased it on his leg. His ankle was where the pain seemed to be radiating from and he couldn't move it without gasping in pain.

Fwella was flapping uselessly above him. She knew that the moment she landed, she wouldn't be able to help Draco back onto her without getting into the mud too, which would only pin her down as well.

__

/I'll be right back!/ She said fiercely and flew out of Draco's limited sight.

It seemed like an eternity before he heard feet sliding through the mud towards him. He knew he should recognize the flaming red hair but he couldn't place why. Arms placed themselves under his arms and legs as they pulled him out of the mud. He was carried by two people towards what he could only assume was a house.

When he was carried into the house, he saw Fwella uncomfortably squished into the corner of the room. He noticed that he was in a kitchen and there was a warm fire burning in the fireplace.

"Shit, he's caked through!" A familiar voice said from around his head. He was laid on a table and he realized with a start the voice was that of Bill Weasley. Draco groaned when he realized where exactly he was. He was about to say something when he yelped in pain. His ankle had made a friend out of the table very roughly.

"Careful Ron!" Bill admonished. "Now go get some warm blankets while I get him out of these cloths." Draco's head rolled to the side and he stared straight into the eyes of Fwella.

Draco realized that he'd passed out. He only realized this since he'd just woken up in a disgustingly orange room with warm blankets surrounding him. It took him a moment to realize the door was open and there were people outside talking.

"Others are gone, eh?" He recognized the voice to be Bill.

"I can't say." Ron, he knew, he'd recognized Ron's voice no matter the circumstances. "But I guess so. I don't think I'd want them here though."  
"Good thing they're gone the next few days then." Bill said. "Now, I'm going down to tell Fwella he's alright and sleeping. You go watch him."

"But why does he have to be in my room?" Ron asked.

"I told you! You have the most comfortable bed. And it's the safest room in the house. I wouldn't trust Percy's or the Twins because of the twins. And we can't put him up in Ginny's room. Mum and Gin have placed countless privacy spells on it."

Draco heard Ron sigh and footsteps descending down stairs. A minutes later the door opened and let in light from the hall before closing again. It took Ron a minute or two to notice that Draco was awake.

"Awake?" Ron asked cautiously.

"Seems so." Draco said. He tried to sit up but when he accidentally moved his ankle, pain shot through him.

"Stop that!" Ron said as Draco hissed between his teeth. "You sprained it in the fall. You'd've probably broken it if not for the mud."

"Oh ode to sodden dirt." Draco snapped angrily. He didn't handle pain well.

"Of course it'd've been better if you'd broken your skull in your fall." Ron shot back.

"Sod off Weasel! I'm in no mood!" Draco snapped. He gritted his teeth against the pain and pushed himself into a sitting position.

"You are such a bastard." Ron told him angrily.

"No, sorry, that insult doesn't apply." Draco felt sweat beading on his forehead but ignored it as he shifted against the pillows. "My parents were married when they had me."

"Why did you have to drop out of the sky and into my yard?" Ron asked.

"Ask Fwella why she bucked mid-air while I was on her bareback." Draco was quickly losing patience's with Ron because of the pain.

"Fwella was talking about you last week." Ron said. He'd already connected two with two.

"I know." Draco said, he was becoming exhausted.

"She called you some names, you know. Doesn't it feel great to know not even a Pegasus likes you?"

"I'll have you know that she'd only said that because I was on her back and yelling at her. She was only teasing me."

"You weren't there." Ron said.

"Really?" Draco asked. "Ask your brother then. He knew I was there."

"Bill would have said something if you were."

"You sure? Are you really positive about that?" Draco asked, hoping that Ron would unwittingly take the bait.

"I'm positive!" Ron replied.

Draco gave him a small smile. "Only fools are positive, Weasel."

"Fwella says to call if you need her for anything. And that she'll be back in a little while because she's going back to the manor." Bill cut in, effectively stopping any argument that would have escalated.

"Why is she going back?" Draco asked.

"To let your father know that you fell but you're going to be okay." Bill replied.

"She shouldn't have bothered." Draco muttered. "I told father to tell the guests I was suddenly indisposed. He'd surely have told the guests by now."

"Guests? You ran away during a party?" Ron asked, surprised.

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes. I left during the middle of a party." Draco said coldly.

Bill looked between the two boys during the exchange. "Ron, watch over him. I'm going to bed." He turned and shut the door after him. When Ron tried to open it and call Bill back, he found it to be locked.

"Damn it all to hell and back!" Ron muttered as he let go of the door and looked at Draco.

"Locked in, are we?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow. "Well, might as well make the most of it. Grab me some parchment, a quill and ink, will you?"

Ron wanted to say no but he couldn't. "Why do you want them?" He asked as he walked around the room, picking up the items.

"I have something stuck in my head that I need to jot down before I forget it." Draco said, taking the items from Ron.

"What are you going to write?"

"Nothing you'll understand." Draco started to write down music notes, not needing the scale on the paper. He knew where everything had to go by heart.

Ron thought that Draco had said it to be mean, but soon realized he meant it as truth. He sat beside Draco as he wrote and could only vaguely recognize what Draco was doing.

When Draco was finished writing, he dropped the quill and shook his hand. He gave a studied eye over the piece. In his head he played the violin using the notes he'd just written. He didn't notice he was humming until Ron told him so.

"What?" Draco asked.

"I said I like the song you were humming." Ron said again. All of the sudden he noticed how close he was sitting to Draco. He quickly got up and walked to the window.

"Yes, well, it proves that you'd like it. It's trash." Draco said snidely.

"Of bugger off!" Ron said angrily. "Put that stuff on the night stand. I'm turning off the lights. I don't care about you, but I'm tired and want to go to sleep."

Draco set aside the things in his lap, giving Ron a smile. "One question. Where do you plan to sleep?"

Ron looked about the room and realized what Draco was talking about. There was only one bed and Draco was in it. There wasn't anywhere else in the room suitable for sleeping on. He made up his mind at Draco's smile the he wasn't going to get the best of him.

"On the bed, of course. It's big enough for both of us." Ron said smoothly as he shut his light off. He knew his way around his room by heart so navigating it in the dark was easy. He changed into his night cloths by feel and dropped his cloths from the day before into the hamper.

Draco's heart skipped a beat and began to pump twice as fast when the bed shifted. Ron shifted in the bed as he settled down for the night.

"By tomorrow, the poultice that Bill put on your ankle will have taken affect. You'll be as good as new then." Ron told Draco. "For now, good night."

'Good-night indeed.' Draco thought as he listened to the sound of Ron's breathing slow. He was all too suddenly confused and on edge from being in a room he didn't know. Reluctantly he shut his eyes and tried to slow his beating heart. It took a while before it worked and then he drifted into sleep.

It was a long time before Ron actually fell asleep. He realized that his skin was far too aware of Draco being less than a hands span away from him. He was in tune to every breath and shift Draco made.

Laying in the dark like he was, Ron was forced to finally admit something about himself to himself. And that something made in entirely difficult for Ron to get to sleep.

AN: announcer voice And the Thank You goes out to…!!!

Faint Hate!!!!! I'm glad you like. Heheh, yes, denial is something he's very very good at. You'll see how good Ron is later though. Hehehe.

I Heart DM 11!!!!! Yay! Another review!! You have no idea how much I like Fwella. She's the evil, manipulative older sister that you can't help but love. ..Or something like that.

Mydracomalfoy!!!!!! I love Fwella too!! Aw! I hope you're still not sore after all this time! But I know how much a pain practices can be. My swim season starts soon and that's gonna be a pain in the butt. I'm so out of shape from all the sitting at the comp and reading fanfics I've done this summer. Yes, Draco spies on Weasley's, he does. Not that he'll admit it though.

ElvenGirl2!!!!!! Heh, running isn't important. It's seeing and being able to move a mouse that's important. Virginia was awesome, it always is. Love ya too!! Bye!!

Yuuri Asakura!!!! Heya Yuuri!! Oh thank you! I love this story a lot too. Heheh, just wait a few more chapters and you'll get the beginnings of the goods. Sorry to tell you that this fic they're gonna go slow for a while. Even with the incredibly long (for me) chapters. Lol, heheh, Ron/Draco is fun, ne? Hope that this wait hasn't made you angry. Maybe once school starts and my life becomes more structured I'll be able to update every two-three weeks instead of every three-four. Hmm… Gonna have to start planning a plot if I do that. .;

And of course, THANK YOU!!! To everyone that's read this fic without reviewing! I love y'all even though I don't know who you are!!!!


	4. Fourth Chapter

So I'm a week late. Give me a break. Swimming meets just started this week and so did school. Now, I'm very tired and Naruto ep 17 has just finished downloading, so, Ja!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything related to Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Goddess J.K.Rowling who will hopefully soon bestow us with Book Six. Freesia op.2 doesn't belong to me either. It belongs to my beloved Gackt. Anyway, this fic is done solely for fun and no profit is being made off of it. In fact, I'm losing money doing this and not working.

Warning: OOC!Draco. Will be Draco/Ron slash. They are going to have sex, but that'll come after they get together, which isn't in the close future, unfortunately.

Freesia op.2 by Aloh Dark

Fourth Chapter

The next morning when Ron awoke, it was to an empty bed. The pillow that Draco had been laying on was cold to Ron's touch and there was no sign that Draco had ever been in the room at all. Just when he was about to put Draco being in his room at all down as a dream, he heard angry screaming from the hall. Ron got up and opened his door and walked to the staircase. He stared down at a towel clad, dripping wet Draco and an amused Bill.

"Give Me Back My Cloths!" Draco yelled at him, slightly panicky.

"They're in the wash. They're wetter than you are." Bill said.

"Then DRY them! I need my cloths!" Draco yelled.

"Wear a pair of Ron's. He's the only one about your size." Bill said. "Unless you want to wear one of Ginny's dress'."

Draco glared down at him and stomped back into the bathroom. The door closed with a slam behind him.

"Is he always like that?" Bill asked Ron, looking up at him.

"Worse." Ron told him with a shrug. "But at least the poultice worked."

"I don't think with that temper he'd have notice if it was still hurting." Bill commented.

"He wouldn't be out of bed if it hurt in the least." Ron said before turning and going back to his room.

He rummaged through his old cloths in his closet for something that would fit Draco's small frame. What he found were pants and a shirt, both never worn, from an aunt that lived like a muggle in America. They'd been a birthday gift a year ago but Ron had never worn them since they'd been too small for him. He figured that they'd be just about right for Draco.

Ron carried the cloths down to the bathroom and knocked on the door. When Draco told him he could enter, he did. He found Draco standing in front of the sink, looking into the mirror. To Ron's surprise he was shaving.

"What? Didn't think I shaved?" Draco asked as he rinsed the blades before moving on to shave his other cheek.

"Just surprised you do, is all." Ron said. "Didn't think you had to."

"You may not be able to see the hair but I don't like feeling them when I touch my face." Draco said with a shrug.

Ron watched Draco for a few minutes before realizing what he was doing. "You can wear these while yours are being washed. I've never worn them before since when my aunt gave them they were too small. They should fit you, though."  
"Thanks." Draco said absently as he shaved.

"You welcome." Ron said as he left the bathroom. He walked down the stairs to the kitchen, where Bill was cooking breakfast.

"You find any cloths for him?" Bill asked while setting the pancake batter to mix itself.

"Yes. Some pants and a shirt Aunt Debbie gave to me last year." Ron said, sitting down. He noticed that the table had been moved and Fwella laid in the space that was cleared. "And how are you this morning?" He asked her.

__

/My rumps a bit worse from wear but nothing as bad as when a wolf got at me./ She said kindly. When Draco had been falling, he'd dug his nails into her and gave her some scratches along her back.

A few minutes before breakfast was done, Draco showed up in the kitchen. He was limping slightly but showed no signs of any pain. He greeted Fwella before anyone noticed he'd come in.

"Could you set the table, please?" Bill asked as he nodded to the dishes piled by the sink. "Those are clean."

Draco was going to glare and refuse but Fwella stopped him. He grudgingly walked over and grabbed three plates. He placed them at on the table in front of the chairs before going back for cups. When he was finished he sat down at the plate by Fwella.

He watched Ron as he placed plates piled with pancakes, eggs, toast and bacon on the table. Bill placed butter, jelly and syrup on the table before they sat.

"Hope your hungry." Bill said. "I tend to cook for ten even if it's only me."

Draco didn't know how to respond so he just took some pancakes and bacon and placed them on his plate. To his surprise, the food was excellent. It was better than what he sometimes ate at home. He didn't know what made it better, but it was.

While they ate, Bill pulled Draco into a lively discussion about modern music. To Ron's surprise Draco knew a lot about muggle music as well as magical. He was also surprised to find out that some of Draco's favorite groups were muggle. Since Ron didn't listen to too much music he couldn't add much to the topic but when the subject changed to Hogwarts, he was a regular participant.

When breakfast was done, with most of the food gone, Draco gingerly helped Ron with the dishes. Although he only dried them after Ron finished washing them. Both noticed that they didn't argue once but both were unwilling to mention that or anything that would start an argument.

When they were finished with the dishes, Bill went to check on the laundry. Ron, Draco and Fwella went outside for some space. The three were sitting in the grass talking about Pegasus' with Fwella when Bill came out of the house. He handed Draco his freshly washed and dried cloths.

"Thanks." Draco said as he took them. He started to head back to the house to change.

"Just keep the cloths." Ron said, making Draco halt. "They're too small for me and they look good on you."

Draco looked down at the cloths and shrugged. "They're okay." He muttered.

__

/Come on whelp./ Fwella said to Draco. _/I've got to get you home./_

Draco snorted at her. /You know as well as I do that I have no home./ He told her as he climbed onto her back.

"Thanks for the meal and the cloths." He said with a nod of his head.

"Don't mention it." Bill said.

"I trust this won't get out?" Draco said with a raised eyebrow.

"You have our word." Bill said.

Draco nodded again and Fwella took flight.

When they reached the house, Fwella dropped Draco off before flying away again. They'd agreed on the way back that it'd be safer for Fwella to stay off of Malfoy property for a few days. Neither wanted anything to happen to her.

When Draco stepped inside the house, Vek immediately took Draco to his room. He didn't bother with walking, he just snapped and they were teleported to Draco's chamber.

"Must change you!" Vek said hurriedly. "Trouble, trouble, very trouble."

Draco watched as Vek quickly pulled out cloths for Draco. He noticed that Vek had a nearly unnoticeable limp and hunch. Draco seethed with anger. His father had beat Vek.

"No." Draco said sternly.

"No?" Vek asked, turning to Draco.

"No. I'm going to him as I am. Right now. I am not going to cater to his whim anymore." Draco's face softened. "I'm sorry I wasn't here to protect you."

Vek nodded and snapped his fingers. Draco was facing the breakfast room and Vek was beside him. "Go back to my room and wait for me there. You are not to leave, no matter what. You know what you have to do."

Vek nodded and scurried away.

Draco took a deep breath and rallied up his confidence. He put his hand on the door and swung it open. He walked into the room and towards where his mother and father were eating.

"So, the disobedient son has come home?" Lucius said, whipping his mouth with a napkin.

"I guess my rebellion will be childish and reckless after all, Father." Draco commented.

"How senseless of you." Lucius told him before taking a bite of his hard boiled egg.

"The actions may be stupid but they make me feel better about myself. Unlike catering to your whims which makes me feel like a cheep whore." Draco said.

His mother gasped and dropped her spoon. His father's hand paused mid air before slowly falling back to his plate.

"What did you just say?" He asked coldly.

"I said that catering to you makes me feel like a cheep whore." Draco replied.

"My, my. You have guts after all. A pity." Lucius glared at his son. "You are going to pay dearly for those remarks."

"And how are you going to do that father?" Draco asked, taking a step forward. "By beating my house elf again? Or by confining me to the house?" Draco took another step forward. "Please Father, tell me how you plan to make me pay?" Lucius was taken aback by his sons outright disobedience. Draco gave a snorted laugh and smiled bitterly. "You don't even know what would hurt me the most."

Lucius slammed his hands, palm down, onto the table and rattled everything violently. "Do you take me for a fool?!" He roared.

"I know you are no fool. But I also know that you have very limited sight." Draco said calmly. "Especially when it comes to things you think you have under your control."

"Limited sight?" Lucius snarled. Then he smirked. "I see more than you could ever realize."

"Tell me then, Father, what is my favorite colour?" Draco asked. He folded his arms across his chest.

His father blinked at him and frowned. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It would prove how much you can see, for one." Draco said.

"I don't see how it proves anything. Favorite colours prove nothing."

"Well I am wearing the color right now, so I guess that proves you have great sight after all." Draco sneered.

Both his parents finally took notice of the cloths he was wearing. Narsissa began to rise out of her seat, thought better of it, and sat down again. Lucius just took in his cloths angrily.

Draco was wearing a yellow shirt that hung half way down his thighs with a royal blue Chinese dragon circling it with his head resting on the left shoulder. The pants were dark blue jeans and baggy.

"Where did you get those?" He asked.

"They were a gift." Draco said with a shrug. "I like them. They're very comfortable."

"Where did you get them?" Lucius asked again.

"I told you. They were a gift." Draco said. He knew that if he was lying his father would know. He also knew that he wasn't lying and that was infuriating his father.

"From whom?" His father bit out from between his teeth.

"I didn't ask." Draco shrugged.

"Get out." Lucius whispered. "Get Out!" He said louder. "GET OUT!!" He screamed.

"As you wish." Draco said with a mocking bow. He heard his father throw something against the wall and his mother scream as he closed the door.

When he reached his room, Vek was waiting for him. Draco crumpled heavily onto the seat in his bay window while Vek watched him worriedly.

"As of yet, I have no punishment." Draco said. "But I don't plan on staying to find out."

Vek nodded. "Where go?"

Draco thought a moment as he rubbed his eyes. "Is the old hunting lodge still standing?"

"Believe me yes." Vek said.

"Good. We'll go there." Draco told him.

"To Weasleys close." Vek said.

"I know." Draco said with a sigh. "But we have to pack and leave as quickly as possible."

Vek smiled at Draco. "Done." He said simply and gestured to the three bags by Draco's bed. "Magiked."

"You are the best, Vek." Draco said warmly.

Vek's smile grew. "Go we must. At all not if now not."

Draco smiled. "Sometimes it amazes me that I understand anything you say." Draco said before picking up the bags.

Vek shook his head and was about to snap his fingers when tentative knocking sounded at his door. Draco dropped the bags and kicked them under his bed. He walked over to the door and pulled it open himself. He knew it wasn't his father, since he would have just burst through the door without knocking. To his surprise his mother stood on the other side of the door.

"Mother?" Draco asked confused.

"May I come in?" She asked.

Draco stepped to the side and let his mother through. He closed the door behind her. She walked across the room and to the window seat. She patted the space next to her and Draco sat. He noticed that Vek was nowhere to be seen.

"Draco." She said sadly, looking into his eyes. "Why do you fight him?"

"I'm sorry mother, but I can't help it. I can't stand it anymore."

She raised her hand and cupped his cheek. "I'm sorry to say I know what you mean." She swallowed. "But I have to warn you. Your father is not well. Ever since the Dark Lord rose again, he's been like this. Only it's been getting worse and worse as the years gone. He's turning back into the man I married."

Draco noticed the tiny shudder that went through her. He's heard the whispered stories about his father before he was born. The man drunk on Voldemort's power and influence. He knew to an extent what his father had been like back then.

"I'm sorry Mum." Draco whispered.

She smiled sadly at him. "You know what you've always been taught by your father. And you know what I've always taught you."

Draco smiled at her. "It drove me crazy trying to keep everything straight. I liked your teachings so much more than his that I always wanted to follow yours."

"But you had to follow his." She finished. "And now, it's time for you to decide."

"Decide what?" He asked.

"You have to decide who you are going to follow now. You father. Or your heart." She said as she gently moved a piece of hair behind his ear. "I suggest you follow you heart."

Draco nodded. "I'll try."

"That's all I'm asking." She pulled him into a hug and held him tight. When she stood, her face was in it's usual mask. "Your father and I are going to the Keep. You'll have the Manor to yourself for the summer."

Draco watched her leave without a word. Not for the first time, he wondered what had happened to his mother to change her from what he heard she was to what she is now. He figured his father had no small part in the change.

"Vek?" Draco called a half hour later.

"Yes?" Vek asked a moment later.

"Unpack the bags. We're staying after all. And when you're done call Fwella back. I'll be at the lake taking a swim if I'm needed."

Vek nodded and pulled the bags out from under the bed. He opened one and handed the box of music orbs to Draco. Draco took it and placed it on his bed. He grabbed a towel from his bathroom before picking up the box and leaving.

It was a two hour hike from the Manor to the lake where he swam. It usually took only a half hour or less for him to get there, but then he was usually on a horse or Fwella. He felt like walking so it took him that much longer. He'd taken out one of his orbs and it was following like a trained puppy playing Obscurity songs.

'Listless' was playing when he reached the lake. He set down his towel and the box before stretching. He gazed across the lake as he took his cloths off. The pants had become very uncomfortable since he'd been wearing no underwear and he was glad to be getting rid of them. He climbed up into a tree on the lake edge and walked across a limb until he was out over the water. From his perch he pushed out and dove smoothly into the water. The orb still followed him, but never went under the water. The lake was huge and each shore bordered different properties. The west bank belong to Malfoy's and the east bank Weasley's.

Mermaids lived at the depths of the lake and sometimes came up to greet Draco while he swam. When he was young he made friends with several mermaids about his age and they taught him their language while he taught them his. But he didn't see any of them as he casually swam the lake.

By mid day he decided to swim to the small island in the middle of the lake. Draco, despite his size, was a strong swimmer but the task of swimming to the island was still a chore. He was exhausted when he reached the islands sandy shore.

He laid on the shore and sun bathed. He didn't stir as he heard something walking towards him out of the trees on the island. "Good day Fwella."  
_/How'd you know it was me?/_ She asked.

"Nothing else on this spit of land makes so much noise when they move."

__

/Are you calling me heavy?/

"No. Just big boned."

She nipped his leg just hard enough to hurt but not hard enough to leave a bruise. Draco cracked his eye open at her and noticed she had a basket on her back.

"Who's that from?" He asked as he got up and untied it from her.

__

/Vek./

"I supposed you've already been fed." He said.

__

/Just a half hour ago or so. So it's all yours./

"Thanks." He said as he sat against her and opened up the basket. He ate in silence, sometimes giving something to Fwella. By the time he was ready to leave, his skin was a near normal shade on both sides from the sun.

__

/I noticed what happened this morning./ Fwella told him as he packed the basket with the empty foodstuffs.

"The fight?" Draco asked.

__

/No. With the youngest Weasley boy./

"What about Weasel?" Draco asked.

__

/You were nice to him. And I, as well as he, appreciated that./

Draco lowered his eyes. "I'm not a complete arse you know."

__

/I know. But he didn't. Now he knows though./

Draco looked up at the sky. "I'm glad."

When Draco returned to the manor, his parents were gone as well as most of the house elves. Only a skeleton staff was left. Draco didn't care though since he knew he wasn't going to be spending much time inside the house at all.

Although, as he sat by himself eating dinner, he realize just how incredibly big the house was. Especially when you were all alone.

TBC

Thanks To!!!!

Faint Hate!!!! Lol, how do you know the ending already?! You only read three chaps! Is it that obvious? Hehe.

I Heart DM 11!!!! You'll find out what he admitted later. Ah! Sorry this was late!! Heh, I love tormenting them, I just had to do it.

Sinister Katsuya!!!! Yes, Gackt :D!!! Thanks so much!

ElvenGirl2!!! Thank you, lovie. Hope you enjoyed this!!


	5. Fifth Chapter

Begs forgiveness for everyone!! I'm soo soo very very sorry!!! School and swimming have dominated my life!! I can't tell you how sorry I am that this is a week late!! I promise that the next chapter won't be late AT ALL!! I swear it!! I've programmed it into my phone to alert me when I need to update it! I promise no lateness next time!!!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything related to Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Goddess J.K.Rowling who will hopefully soon bestow us with Book Six. Freesia op.2 doesn't belong to me either. It belongs to my beloved Gackt-san. Anyway, this fic is done solely for fun and no profit is being made off of it. In fact, I'm losing money doing this and not working.

Warning: OOC!Draco. Will be Draco/Ron slash. They are going to have sex, but that'll come after they get together, which isn't in the close future, unfortunately.

Now, exactly what I've been forgetting the last four chapters. And, ta-da! Know you know!

"blah" Regular speech

__

/blah/ Fwella speech.

"blah" Mermaid speech.

Freesia op.2 by Aloh Dark

Fifth Chapter

As a child Draco would play hide and seek with the house elves. Though it was more of hiding someplace and then scaring the first house elf to come close to his hiding space. As he grew older he was admonished more and more as he played 'childish' games until he stopped altogether. He began spending more and more time in the library reading any book he could get his hands on. He could recite his favorite books word for word if he wanted to.

The library at Malfoy Manor was the largest of all the Malfoy residences and contained all the original copies of the books at the other residences. So even after all the years of living there, Draco still had a number of books he'd never read.

It was because of the library's many books that Draco learned to read and write in many languages, even though he couldn't speak them. So Draco could pick up nearly any book there and be able to understand it. It was also thanks to these books and their many languages that he was able to develop his own written language that no one but him could figure out. To stay proficient in his personal language he'd copy his school notes from English into special books just for the practice. It also help him to know his school notes better.

It was a month before Draco heard word from his mother. So, like always, he was in the library copying her letter from English into his language. He'd just finished when Fwella stuck her head into the window.

__

/Hey Lazy./ She said in a sing-song mind-voice.

"Hey Beautiful." He said back at her as he walked over to the window.

__

/My, my, how Tan you are!/ She said as she nudged his hand.

He laughed softly. "It's all those days on the lake and in the air and on the roof."

__

/And let me guess. The only time you wore cloths were when you were flying with me./

Draco laughed. "As a matter of fact, yes. You know I hate wearing cloths while sun bathing."

__

/Makes it interesting when someone tries to find your tan lines./

Draco laughed with Fwella. "You know that Grygru said the same thing while we were swimming a few days ago."

__

/That merman wants you, you know./ Fwella said.

"I know." Draco told her, resting his arms on the window sill. "But I know that he won't do anything about it unless I give the okay."

__

/And would you?/ She asked seriously.

Draco thought a moment. "I don't know." He replied truthfully. "He is very handsome and highly attractive."

__

/Which is why he has half the females and a few males from his village chasing after him./

"Exactly." Draco said. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't find him attractive in that sort of way. But I don't think I'd ever do anything with him. He's too good a friend."

__

/Ah, I see./

"I wouldn't want to spoil the friendship with sex. Sex only complicates things and would ruin our friendship."

__

/So the Young Master Malfoy remains celibate./

Draco gave an exaggeratedly heavy sigh. "Unfortunately so."

Fwella laughed. _/Well you poor sexually repressed sir, get out of that house and go for a fly with me!/_

"Where are we going?" Draco asked as he began to climb out the window.

__

/First you're staying in the house long enough to grab your violin. I want to hear that piece you've been working oh so diligently on./

Draco snorted. "You mean the accompaniment that took a quarter as long to get right as the piano it's accompanying?"

__

/That's the one!/ She said.

"Alright." Draco said, back inside the house. "I shall meet you in the garden then. I'll have the violin in tow."

She nodded and walked away at that. Draco closed the windows and packed up the letter and book. He carried them to his room and placed them both on his desk. He walked back down stairs to the music room and picked up a violin. He packed it up with its bow and carried the case with him.

He snuck up on Fwella and caused her to jump and fly up. He fell to the ground laughing as she flew back down.

__

/That was NOT Funny!!/ She yelled at him.

"Yes it was." He protested.

She called him a few choice words before letting him on her back. She was wearing a hackamore and a soft pad on her back to make the ride easier for him. Draco tied the violin case to the reins and used his legs to hold onto her. He let her take them away from the manor and to a small pond they sometimes go to. They was a huge rock sitting half in the water and half out that Draco always sat on to dangle his feet into the water. He wore no shoes during the summer so he had no worries about them as he climbed onto the rock and plunged his feet into the frigid water.

"It always amazes me that even in the worst heat, this water is always so cold." Draco said.

__

/It's because of the water nymphs./ Fwella said as she laid down on the bank.

"I figured as much." Draco said as he began to tune the violin. Fwella stay quiet to let him finish his task. "Okay, so now what do you want to hear, my fair lady love?"

Draco could hear the smile in her mind voice. _/Do you remember that one you wrote a year or so ago? The one that sounded like this?/_ She sent a shadow of the memory over to Draco to hear. That was one good thing about speaking mind to mind to be able to send along memories and feelings.

"I remember every piece I've ever wrote. Even the crappy things. So yes, I do remember that one." He said as he put the violin under his chin. "And now, you shall hear your request." He pulled the bow across the strings and began to play.

To Fwella, the song seemed to hold all the loneliness and sadness that Draco felt when he wrote the song. She remembered the time when he wrote it well and knew the alienation he felt during the time. He had amazingly poured it all into the song and it always made Fwella deeply touched. She and Vek were the only ones to ever hear the song and the only time Vek had, he was crying by the end.

When Draco was finished, Fwella flapped her wings in applause. _/Stunningly beautiful!/_ She told him.

"Thanks. Now how about something a little more lively?" He asked. He didn't let her answer before he broke into a country dance he'd learned when he was little.

Fwella was tapping her tail to the rhythm as Draco played, tapping his feet on the water. Fwella began to sing the words so that anyone around would be able to hear her. When he was done they were both laughing and Fwella whistled.

__

/Now, I command you to play the song I dragged you out here for./

"Ah, the newly finished, never heard by anyone else composition?" He asked her.

__

/Yes!/

He bowed to her from his perch. "As you wish, my lady." He raised the violin back to his chin and began to play.

It started out soft and sweet but as he played it became tragic and heartbroken. Then the sound became hopeful, tentative but hopeful before it was shattered and miserable. Fwella rode the emotions like a wave and wanted to cry by the end.

When Draco lowered the violin Fwella was silent. "It sounds better with the piano." He said in excuse, mistaking her silence.

__

/No! No! It was.. It was../ Fwella sent over exactly how she felt about the piece to let Draco see exactly what she was trying to say.

"But did you like it?" He asked her.

__

/I loved it./ She told him honestly.

"So did I." A voice said from the other side of the pond.

Draco jumped and turned towards the person who'd spoken. A red-head sat on the bank with his chin in his hands. Draco recognized Ron right away and glared angrily at him.

"How long have you been there?" He asked snidely.

"I heard the tale end of the last song and this one." Ron turned and looked at Fwella. "Your singing was lovely."

She nodded but couldn't say anything.

"Why didn't you say anything before?" Draco asked as he put away his violin. "That was not for you to hear!" He slammed the case shut and locked it.

Ron cringed at the daggers in Draco's voice. "So? I'm not going to tell anyone about it! Besides, if I could do something as good as that I'd want everyone to hear it."

"But I don't!" Draco snapped. He placed the violin case on the ground next to Fwella before standing up on the rock. "These are personal compositions! No one but Fwella and Vek are allowed to hear them!"

All too late Fwella noticed the nymph reaching a hand up towards Draco's ankle. Before she could even react the nymph had grabbed hold of Draco and gave a mighty tug.

Draco's eyes widened in horror before he flew into the water and was dragged down. The pond may have been small but it was still deep. By the time the nymph had let go of Draco with a laugh he was deeper than he cared to ever be. And his surprised gasped of air he'd gotten was quickly running out.

As he swam towards the surface his lungs began to burn and his body strained trying to get him safe. His sight was closing in slowly as he fought his way up. He was shocked to feel an arm grasped him around the middle and tug him the rest of the way to the surface.

When he broke surface, he greedily gulped the air into his body. His vision went back to normal and he laid on his back on the shore. He could see Fwella was standing near by out of the corner of his eye but most of his sight was taken up by a worried red head.

"Are you going to be okay?" Ron asked.

Draco began to cough and rolled onto his side. Ron rubbed his back soothingly until Draco finally caught his breath. "Remind me," He panted. "To tell Grygru to kill those bloody nymphs!"

Fwella let out a relieved laugh. _/I will darling, I will./_

"Good." Draco said and closed his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked again. Draco nodded as he tried to calm his heart and breathing. "Good."

Draco opened his eyes and looked deep into Ron's. "You saved my life." He said slightly confused.

Ron's eyes went red and he shrugged. "I guess."

"Why? Why did you save me?" Draco asked.

"I don't know. I was in the water before I realized what I was doing." Ron told him.

Draco sat up and shut his eyes. "Thank you." He said.

"Don't mention it." Ron muttered.

"So," Draco said after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence. "Did you really like it?"

"Yeah." Ron said, realize what Draco was doing. "It was beautiful."

"It still sounds better with the piano. Maybe you'll be able to hear it completely someday."

"That'd be nice."  
_/How about we go to the lake? I don't trust those nymphs./_ Fwella suggested.

Draco smiled at her. "You just want to see Grygru so you can see the water around him boil."

"Grygru?" Ron asked as Draco stood up. He tied the case to the reins again before he climbed onto Fwella.

"Grygru is a friend of mine. He's a merman." Draco explained. Draco pinched Fwella so she wouldn't say what Draco knew she wanted to.

"Oh." Ron said, climbing behind Draco.

Fwella gave them no warning as she took flight, startling Ron. He jumped and threw his arms around Draco's waist. Draco was accustomed to such takeoffs so all he did was tighten his legs around her.

Draco and Ron chatted with Fwella as she flew towards the lake, which wasn't that far away. When she landed it was on the island in the middle of the lake. Draco slid off her first and then helped Ron down.

__

/I'm going to go back to the house and give this to Vek. I'll be back in about an hour./ She told them.

"Alright, and get some food for us from him!" Draco called after her.

"So, what do we do now?" Ron asked looking around.

"Now, we find Grygru."

"Find?" Ron asked.

"Yes, find. He's not always in the same spot." Draco said as he took his shirt off. "Sometimes he's not found at all."

Ron watched in horror as Draco slipped out his pants, but left his boxers on. "What are you doing?"

Draco turned to him. "I'm going swimming. And I suggest you strip too if you want to swim. Cloths get mighty heavy when in mermaid territory." He warned.

Ron waited until Draco was underwater before quickly stripping down to his underwear. Draco was a good deal away by the time Ron was in the water. Ron followed Draco out into the water before Draco stopped and began to swim in place. Ron was still a little ways away when the Draco disappeared with a tug. When Draco broke surface again he was laughing and kicking something.

Ron watched as a grinning merman broke the surface and swam after Draco. He caught Draco around the middle and held him. Ron heard him say something to Draco but had no idea what he was saying.

"What's with the underwear? Usually you're naked." Grygru asked Draco.

"I'm also usually alone when I'm swimming." Draco said as he broke out of his grasp.

This made Grygru pause and look about. He glared at Ron when he saw him. "So you're the reason this beautiful piece of man-flesh is covered from me. I should uncover you!"

"Grygru!" Draco said angrily. "Play nice!"

"Draco?" Ron asked.

"Grygru is just jealous." Draco explained. "He's used to seeing me alone when I swim. He doesn't want to compete for my attention."

"You are mine to behold, not his!" Grygru said harshly.

"I am no ones! Least of all yours!" Draco said angrily. "And you are straining our friendship with this absurd jealousy!"

Another mermaid chose that moment to break surface. "Forgive him. He was just turned down by Lykyo." She said.

Grygru glowered at the newcomer. "No one asked you to comment."

"Lykyo?" Draco asked. "The hunter who tired to spear me once?"

"The very same." She said.

"Go away Lyea." Grygru said.

"I don't think I will." She said as she took notice of Ron. "Who are you?"

"Ron. Ron Weasley." Ron said confused.

Grygru and Lyea exchanged looks.

"This the boy you've mentioned?" Lyea asked Draco.

Draco nodded. "The very same."

"But I thought you hated him!" Grygru exclaimed.

"He saved my life today. A nymph in the 'always cold' pond tried to drown me." Draco explained.

Ron jumped as Grygru yelled something and the water around him began to boil. He turned to Ron, with the water still boiling. "Many thanks are in order for you. You have save the life of Draco. My apologies for how I acted earlier."

"Don't mention it." Ron said.

"Unfortunately," Lyea said. "We must get back below. He broke away from me during the middle of a hunt." She grabbed a hold of Grygru's arm. "Oh, and nice boxers." She said before dragging Grygru down with her.

"And those are two of the most dysfunctional mermaids you will ever meet." Draco said as he turned back to Ron.

"You can speak with them." Ron said.

"They taught me how to when we were little." Draco said. "And I taught them our language as they taught me." He began to swim back to the bank.

Ron swam next to him. "You've lived here all your life, haven't you?"

"Yes, I have." Draco said. "Although I have to spend winter at the Keep since I started at Hogwarts."

"Where's the keep?" Ron asked.

"I don't honestly know." Draco said with a smirk.

See You in Two Weeks!!

Many many many thanks to:

Faint Hate!!!! Not being able to spell isn't so bad. I can't spell either. Of course, I just say that 'my mind is working faster than my hands' and leave it at that. glares with you Yeah, stupid dumb Lucius! And yes, you can love them all!! And please do so!! huggles Thanks!!

ElvenGirl2!! Thank you. And since I know I'll be telling you I updated before school tomorrow, this is all I'm saying.

I Heart DM 11!!!! Draco isn't so bad in my fic!! He'll get a lot nicer to Ron, if you know what I mean. bows Please forgive my lateness? I'm worse than Kakashi-sensei sometimes.

Eve Granger!!!! I hope you loved this chappy too!!! AH!! stabbed by guilt Sorry I made you wait! I like the way that Draco acts towards Ron too. Just you wait and see what happens with them.

Oh, and if anyone likes the Sasuke x Naruto pairing from Naruto, please read my fics with them!! They go 'Enough' 'Not Enough' 'Save Me' and 'Always.' Read them in that order since they're part of the same arc. I'll love y'all forever more if you read and review!!


	6. Sixth Chapter

See? I can keep my promises!! On time, like I said it would be!! Now, three more weeks and you'll get more since this speedy release was only to get me back on track. So, NYAH!! You have to wait again!!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything related to Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Goddess J.K.Rowling who will hopefully soon bestow us with Book Six. Freesia op.2 doesn't belong to me either. It belongs to my beloved Gackt-san. Sugarcult and "Hate Every Beautiful Day" belong to either themselves, or the record company. I don't know the terms of their contract, so I don't know who owns what. Anyway, this fic is done solely for fun and no profit is being made off of it. In fact, I'm losing money doing this and not working.

Warning: OOC!Draco. Will be Draco/Ron slash. They are going to have sex, but that'll come after they get together, which isn't in the close future, unfortunately.

And since I'm a copy/paste whore, I haven't forgotten this.

"blah" Regular speech

__

/blah/ Fwella speech.

"blah" Mermaid speech.

Freesia op.2 by Aloh Dark

Sixth Chapter

When Fwella came back she brought many treats for the boys and herself. They sat on the island and told Fwella about the encounter with the mermaids. She was sorry to have missed it but had her own interesting story to tell when they'd finished.

"My mother is what?!" Draco asked angrily.

__

/Throwing you a birthday party. Only, it'll be in the middle of August instead of the end of September./

"And she didn't bother to consult me?!" Draco stood up angrily.

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/Oh, and it's to be at the Manor. A week from today./

Draco took a deep breath and glared at nothing. He stalked a few feet away before coming back. "Does my father know?"

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/Apparently he approved everything your mother did./ Draco's jaw dropped. _/And before I forget, remember that this is supposed to be a surprise party, so forget what I just told you./_

Draco perked at this news. "A surprise, you say?" Fwella nodded. "Then how bout we get lost the morning of the party and not get found again until the next day?"

"Sabotage?" Ron asked.

"Exactly!" Draco said gleefully.

__

/My Draco. The Rebellion Leader./ Fwella said with a shake of her head that was the equivalent of rolled eyes.

/If they think they can abandon me at the Manor for the summer and expect me to play puppet when they want, they have another thing coming./ He said to Fwella, remembering Ron was there.

__

/And how exactly do you plan on doing this?/

"We need some place to hide out. Some place where it'd be an honest mistake that they didn't think of looking for me there but it'd also be the last place they'd expect."

"You can stay with me." Ron cut it, shocking both Draco and Fwella.

"What?" Draco asked.

"Mum, Ginny and Dad are going to be at my Gran's. Percy hasn't been home in ages. The twins are staying at Lee's for the month. And Charlie is will Bill in Croatia. So it'll just be me for about four days. I think the two you'd need are in those four." Ron told them.

"Perfect!" Draco said with a smile. "Where else would my parents never expect but the Weasleys?"

It was a few days later when Draco began to have second thoughts about staying with Ron. Everything was hinged on Ron and Draco's new, uneasy friendship. And everything nearly fell apart when Ron told Fwella that his mother was sick the day before she was supposed to leave. Everything worked out just in time in the end though.

Draco was packing his own bag the morning of his party as Vek glowered at him from the corner. Draco folded some pants before throwing them down and turning to Vek. He slammed his hands on his hips and glared back.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Draco demanded.

"This wrong is!" Vek exclaimed.

"Vek, you are not to let anyone know about what I'm doing." Draco said. "That is a direct order! Now go get my violin."

Draco waited until Vek was out of the room before resuming his packing. He put a few folders full of compositions and one full of blank sheet music before repacking the pants. He always tended to over pack, just in case. When Vek came back into the room, Draco had just finished packing away his music orbs.

Draco slung the pack over his shoulder and took the case from Vek. He smiled at the sad house elf. "I'll be back tomorrow afternoon."

"Fun have Draco Master." Vek said as he left the room.

Draco watched him leave then shifted the violin case to his other hand. He left the room and walked down to the breakfast room. He poked his head in and told his mother he was going out before going to the stables. He found Fwella waiting for him with a saddle on her back.

__

/You're wearing shoes./ She remarked.

"You're wearing a saddle."

She glared. _/I told the stupid house elf I wanted the riding pad so he puts on a saddle. Only he was smart enough to leave before I bit him./_

"Doesn't matter love." Draco said, climbing into the saddle. "Grygru won't care one way or the other." And that was the last Draco said before they took off towards the lake.

Fwella did fly towards the lake for a while before turning and flying towards the Burrow, as Draco learned Ron's home was called.

After they landed, Draco took the saddle and hackamore off Fwella so she could take off again. He then left them by the back door before letting himself into the kitchen. He found Ron going over his school lists in the living room. Draco had gotten his yesterday but hadn't yet gone to Diagon Alley for the items.

"Hey." Draco said as he sat on the couch. It was only the second time Draco had ever been in Ron's home and he was constantly struck by how different it was to what he was used to.

"Mum'll not be happy when she sees these." Ron said, waving the papers he held. "Even though it's only Gin and I now, it's still a lot."

Draco wisely decided not to comment on Ron's economical status. He did, however, comment on the showy artic owl sleeping by the fireplace.

"Oh, that's Hedwig. She's Harry's." Ron said. "She's waiting for me to write a reply to Harry. She always waits around for replies. He's been sending her every week all summer. I think it's especially hard on him since Sirius died."

"Sirius Black?" Draco asked.

"Yeah." Ron said with a nod. "That was a god-awful night."

Draco knew all about that night from his father so he didn't comment. "You want to listen to some music?" He asked as he slipped his bag off.

Ron looked at Draco with empty eyes for a moment before he nodded. "What do you have?"

"I think some Sugarcult is in order." Draco said as he pulled out the box of orbs. He pulled out a sickly yellow one and turned it on. Pretty soon Draco and Ron were jumping around the living room having a bash of their own. After they jumped, danced and horsed around, they couldn't help but fall to the ground, out of breath.

"How'd you ever hear of this group?" Ron asked, his voice airy from being breathless. "I don't hear a single magical note at all."

Draco rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. He rearranged himself until he found a comfortable position. Ron realized that Draco would do just about anything to buy time to think before answering sometimes. "They're muggle." Draco answered at last.

Ron sat up on his elbow and faced Draco. "Muggle?"

Draco shrugged. "I have a very eclectic taste in music." He thought for a moment. "Truth be told, most of the stuff I listen to is a muggle group or also has a muggle fan-base as well as magical."

"You?" Ron asked. "You, Mr. Muggle-born Hating, Pure-blood Fanatic listen to mostly muggle groups? Why don't I believe it."

Ron could tell by the way Draco shifted that he wasn't pleased. "I don't hate muggles or muggle-borns. I just don't think that anyone muggle raise should learn magic."

"But look at Hermione. Not even you can deny she's brilliant." Ron argued.

"And look at just the past one hundred years. Look at Hitler!" Draco argued back, sitting up. "That bastard was muggle raised and then taught magic when he was around our age. Look at what he did with that little bit of magic he'd learn!"

"One man a half century ago doesn't prove anything." Ron said.

Draco's jaw snapped together and his eyes narrowed. "I know you've heard of Tom Riddle." Draco said. "Muggle raised and half muggle himself. He was taught magic and now who is he? He's Voldermort. The Great Dark Lord. At this very moment he's either on, or planning, a killing spree. Just like the ones he headed when we weren't born yet." Ron was quiet as Draco stopped for a moment. "And you can't deny that he's brilliant." He sneered.

Silence would have reigned if not for the orb still churning out 'Hate Every Beautiful Day' into the room. The minutes ticked by as they stared into each others eyes.

"Please don't call him that in my home." Ron said softly, breaking the silence.

Draco stiffed and stood up. "Fear of the name only increases the fear of the thing itself." He said, unknowingly quoting Hermione.

"I still prefer 'You-Know-Who' to 'The Great Dark Lord.'" Ron said.

"Shit." Draco muttered. "I called him that?"

Ron nodded, he wasn't sure what was going on or going through Draco's head. "Yes."

"Double shit." Draco said, louder than before. He looked back up at the ceiling. "I didn't mean to." He said in way of apology and semi-explanation.

Ron had a sudden, tiny epiphany. "You don't like him do you? You don't want to be a Death Eater."

Draco squatted next to the now sitting Ron. He rolled his sleeve up "Feel there." He said, pointing at the exposed skin.

Ron looked at the pale, blemish-free skin before slowly putting his finger tips lightly on the skin. To his surprise, there were slight rises in the skin, as if it was scarred. He ran his fingers over the area and found the intricate lines of the scar.

"It's what the to-be Death Eaters get marked with." Draco said casually. "I got it last year."

"So you are going to be a Death Eater." Ron said. "But why let me know this?"

"I didn't want it." Draco said, pulling his arm away and rolling his sleeve back down. "That's what I wanted you to know."

"So I guess that answers my question." Ron said.

"And now it's time to eat! I'm so hungry I could eat Fwella's tack." Draco said, standing back up and pulling Ron with him. "I'm guessing that this is a spirits free zone."

"Why would you say that?" Ron asked as he led Draco to the kitchen.

"Oh just the fact that your twin brothers live here." Draco said. "I wouldn't trust yeast around those two, let alone some already fermented."

Ron laughed. "My mum has the same opinion. So, yes, this is a spirits free zone."

"You know," Ron said, sitting on the kitchen table. "You talk differently outside of school."

"Really?" Draco asked, opening and closing cabinets. "How so?"

"I don't really know. I've just noticed that you talk different when you're outside of school." Ron said with a shrug.

"I also act differently, if you didn't notice that." Draco said.

"I did. I just didn't want to comment." Ron said.

"Liar." Draco said with a smile in his voice.

"I did notice you act differently!" Ron protested. "You're more relaxed. More open. Dare I say, happier?"

Draco snorted. "Everyone is more relaxed and open when they're in a comfortable surrounding. Some people are comfortable at school, but I'm comfortable around the Manor."

"You're not comfortable at school?" Ron asked.

"What is this? Question Draco About Everything Day? And no. I'm not particularly comfortable at school."

"Third cabinet from your left." Ron said. "Care to tell why?"

"No, I care not." Draco said. "We'll just leave it at that I grew up alone and prefer to be alone."

Ron was quiet as Draco dug through the boxes in the cabinet Ron had suggested. "How about we make a deal?"

"For what?" Draco asked, standing up with a handful of cookies.

"School starts in two weeks." Ron said. "Let's make a deal about school."

"What kind of deal?" Draco asked, eating a cookie.

Ron thought a moment. "We don't provoke each other and you act like you are now."

"What do you mean, 'like I am now?'" Draco asked, biting another cookie.

"I mean, like you are now. Nice, civilized, friendly." Ron said, walking over to Draco.

"I have a reputation to uphold." Draco said.

"One built on lies and prejudice." Ron pointed out.

"I'm a hypocrite. Do you think that matters?" Draco said.

"It's one built by your father." Ron said. "Besides, won't it be a great way to get back at him for whatever you're rebelling against. Start thinking on your own."

Draco looked at Ron for a long moment. "You have the makings of a Slytherin." He said.

"I don't know if that's a compliment or not." Ron said, taking a cookie from Draco.

"It is." Draco said.

"Then thank you."

"No problem."

"But about the deal?" Ron asked.

"What do I get in return for doing this?" Draco asked.

"What do you want?" Ron asked.

Draco thought a moment. "Times when you and I are together, just us. So I can have a normal conversation."

"Okay. So the deal is this." Ron said, eating his cookie. "You act nice and civilized,"

"Most of the time." Draco cut in.

"Most of the time." Ron agreed. "And in return, I hang with you, one on one."

"On my terms and times?" Draco asked.

"Sure. On your terms and times." Ron agreed.

Draco gave Ron a genuine smile. "Deal." He said sticking out the hand that didn't have any cookies in it.

"Deal." Ron said, shaking Draco's hand.

"Now, let's listen to something else. The night's still young and this is a birthday bash for you!" Ron said, walking back towards the living room.

"And it's sure as hell a lot more fun than what my mum had planned." Draco said.

Draco raised his last cookie and was about to take a bite when it disappeared from his fingers. He looked down at his hand, then back up at Ron. Ron was grinning like a Cheshire cat, holding the cookie.

"Hey! That's mine!" Draco said.

"It's mine now." Ron said, still grinning.

"Give it back!" Draco said, taking a step forward.

"Ye-No." Ron said, shaking his head. He then took a giant bite out of the cookie before finishing it. "Hmm. Good cookie."

"Bastard!" Draco mock hissed. "This means war!"

"War?" Ron asked suddenly puzzled.

Draco didn't answer, he just slammed a pillow into Ron's face.

Ron blinked at Draco a moment before picking up another pillow. "Oh now you've done it! This is war!"  
"Revolution!" Draco yelled in a bad French accent. Ron started to laugh and run as Draco chased after him with a pillow.

It was later when they were laying on Ron's bed. The pillow war had taken them all over the house and into Ron's bedroom where Draco claimed victory. Draco was laying on the bed with Ron sitting on the floor next to him.

"We have a piano." Ron said suddenly.

"So?" Draco asked with a yawn.

"Play for me." Ron said.

"Why should I?" Draco asked. Ron rolled his eyes. He'd forgotten how protective of his music Draco was.

"Because you promised to play the piano part of the violin part that you played that one day." Ron said, moving onto his knees. He rested his arms on the bed and looked at Draco.

"As I recall, I said I might let you hear it one day."

"Well, that 'might' is a yes and that 'one day' is today." Ron said, getting up.

"Why do you want me to play for you? Draco asked. He was comfortable up until the moment Ron grabbed his arm and began to pull him.

"Because I do." Ron said, leading Draco from his room and towards the end of the hall. He opened a door that opened up to stairs to the attic. They walked up the stairs and into a fairly cluttered room. With Draco's help, they navigated the room even though it had very limited lighting. When they reached one side, Ron opened another door and they stepped through. When Ron closed the door behind him and struck a match to light the candles throughout the room.

"When I was younger, I'd come up into here to get away from the rest of the family. Back when the whole family lived at home no one ever got a moments peace." Ron told Draco.

When he finished lighting the candles, the room was awash in a cheery glow. The one window in the room was in the ceiling and was letting in moonlight. The room had boxes covering the walls and in one corner, Draco saw a dusty upright piano.

"Does it still play?" Draco asked.

"Last I knew it did. And I think it's still in tune." Ron said.

"I'll be the judge of that." Draco said, pushing up his sleeves. "Now go get my bag while I check this thing out."

Ron stayed long enough to watch Draco walk over to the piano. He ran his fingers over the keys lightly and then pressed one down. Ron saw him cringe before he left. Ron hurried through the attic room and down the stairs. He ran down the stairs to the bottom floor of the house. It took a few minutes but he found the bag fairly easy. He carried the bag up the stairs and back to Draco. When he walked back into the room Draco was playing warm up scales.

"Grab the blue folder." Draco said without turning around. He smoothly slipped into another scale of keys. He stopped playing when Ron handed him the folder.

Draco opened it up and rummaged through it. He pulled out a handful of sheets after a while and threw the folder to the ground. He shifted through the papers, rearranging them to his liking before placing them onto the piano's music stand.

Ron sat on a wooden chest nearby with his back against the wall. Draco stretched his arms and fingers before turning to Ron. "Keep quiet and hold your comments to the end."

"Sure thing." Ron said with a nod. Draco soon dismissed him as he turned back to the piano.

Ron noticed Draco tap his foot in rhythm before beginning to play. When he began to play, the room was filled with the sounds. Ron could perfectly see how the violin would accompany this melody. Only, the piano told one side of the story while the violin told another. It was the tale of a love abandoned for something not nearly as good. Even to Ron's untrained ear, it was beautiful beyond reason. And when it was over Ron clapped enthusiastically.

"Like it?" Draco asked, half amused, half anxious.

"It was bloody brilliant!" Ron declared.

"Good. Glad you liked it. Because right now, I'm tired and I want to go to bed." Draco said.

Ron laughed. "But it's still early." He argued.

"If you can convince me to stay up later by the time we reach your room, I will." Draco said.

Four hours later, Draco and Ron fell into an exhausted sleep on Ron's bed.

Lalalala!!! To be continued in three weeks time!! But maybe you could convince me to update sooner with many reviews? (snicker: I love bribes)

Thanks, as always, to:

NZ-Juxtapose!!!!!!!! Thank you so much!! I hope you continue to enjoy this!

Faint Hate!!!! Lol, the excuse was no problem. I make things up like that all the time. It's not lying or an excuse if you believe it, right? Heh, yes, yes, those damn nymphs.

I Heart DM 11!!!! A little more Ron/Draco here. Hehehe. I love the implications in the last line in this chapt. In fact, I might be convinced to do a special on what exactly it took to convince him. But only if I'm asked (coughbribedcough) nicely. Heh.

ElvenGirl2!! Lol, you're so weird, my friend. If I didn't know you, I'd be confused beyond all doubts. But, yes, a lot of reviews should keep coming too. Hint Hint.


	7. Seventh Chapter

(dances) Early!! Early!! Early!!! Guess what?! This chapter is EARLY!!!!!! But that's only because this pesky little bug was biting up my ass to completely and utterly change chapter 8. So, I've spent the past four nights rewriting from midnight to one (only to get up at six) because that's the only time I have. So, Enjoy Seven as I work on the next bit because those damnable bugs aren't done with my butt yet.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything related to Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Goddess J.K.Rowling who will hopefully soon bestow us with Book Six. Freesia op.2 doesn't belong to me either. It belongs to my beloved Gackt-san. Yellow Card is owned by their record label and the band mates. I wish I was making money instead of losing money off of this. Jeeze, I needs a job!

Warning: OOC!Draco. Will be Draco/Ron slash. They are going to have sex, but that'll come after they get together, which isn't in the close future, unfortunately.

And since I'm a copy/paste whore, I haven't forgotten this.

"blah" Regular speech

/blah/ Fwella speech.

"blah" Mermaid speech.

None of what I try to use to separate works!! (Cries) (----) Will now be my lame separater. And yes, that word is spelled wrong but I don't care at the moment.

Freesia op.2 by Aloh Dark

Seventh Chapter

When Draco woke up, he jerked out of bed. For one moment he couldn't remember where he was, stuck in the dream he'd been having. His breath was coming into and leaving his body harshly. When he finally was able to process what the orange around him meant, he'd calmed down. Ron still lay undisturbed next to him. Draco walked over to his bag and picked it up. He needed a shower since he could feel the sweat beginning to dry and stick to his body.

"Where you goin'?" Ron asked in a sleep leaden voice.

"I'm taking a shower." Draco said.

Ron yawned and sat up. His hair was in disarray as he itched his scalp adding to the chaos. "Okay. I'll start breakfast for us then." He said with another yawn.

"Stop that. You'll make me yawn." Draco said locking his jaw against a yawn.

"Hm?" Ron asked. "Anyway, what do you want me to make?"

"You can cook?" Draco asked.

"Had to learn when I was little so I could help Mum." Ron said with a shrug. He stretched his arms above his head and his too short pajama's rose even higher. Draco left the room without answering Ron. He walked down the stairs to the bathroom to begin his day.

Ron left his room for the kitchen a little while after Draco left his room. He lit the stove and began setting things out for breakfast. He'd started to cook when he heard someone walking around the living room. He ignored it, thinking it was just Draco. So when he heard his mothers voice he was shocked.

"Ronald Weasley! This house is a mess!" She yelled.

Ron eyes grew wide as he realized exactly what his mother being home meant. "Mum! What are you doing home?"

She ignored his question. "You're making breakfast now? It's after noon!" She put her hands on her hips and took in his pajama's. "Did you just wake up?"

"Mum, I.. What are you doing home?" He asked, his voice cracking. His ears were going red.

"I still feel just a bit under the weather so I decided to come home. Your father and Ginny are still with your Gran." She said. She looked over what Ron was cooking. "You're making way too much for just yourself."

Ron's neck darkened to the same shade as his ears. "I kinda have company." He said softly, hanging his head.

"Who?" His mother asked sternly. Ron just knew visions of some girl were flashing through her mind. She was imagining all the things two teenagers could do together while in a house alone. Ron knew she wasn't liking the images in her head.

"A.. friend." Ron said although he didn't know if he could classify Draco as a friend. "He's a neighbor."

"Who?" She asked again, more forcefully.

"Me." Draco said from behind them both. He was only wearing a pair of low rise pants and his hair was in wet disarray. His skin still shone and was flushed a light pink from the shower's heat.

Molly looked from Draco to Ron and back again. "Explain this to me."

"Where do you want me to start?" Draco asked. He walked over to the counter by the sink. He picked up plates and glasses and began to set the table.

"Tell me what a Malfoy is doing in the home of Weasleys." Molly demanded. She didn't mean to sound rude but this was coming as a shock to her system.

"I was invited." Draco said.

Ron's jaw dropped. He'd gone into a shock-like state and couldn't process anything. Everything seemed a little too unreal that Draco and his mother were having a polite conversation.

"Why?" Molly asked Ron.

His mothers gaze pulled him from his trance and he turned redder for having spaced out. "He said he didn't want to go to one of his mothers parties so I told him he could spend the night here." Ron told her.

Molly looked between the two boys again. "Well, both of you are cleaning this house before you leave." She told them.

Draco nodded consent before sitting down. A minute or so later, Ron placed the plates of food on the table before sitting down. The three of them ate in silence for a while before Molly broke it.

"I'm sorry, but why aren't you two fighting?" She asked. "The arguments between you two are legendary. I rarely go a week or two without a letter from someone telling me about the fights between you two."

Draco took a drink of milk and Ron continued to chew his bacon.

"It's a long story on my part." Draco said when he realized he wouldn't get away with not answering. "And it's too in-depth to explain now."

"It's short from my side." Ron said, feeling stupid for having said it as soon as it left his mouth.

"Then you tell her." Draco said, eating a forkful of eggs.

"Where should I start?" Ron asked Draco.

"Beginning of the summer." Draco said.

"Alright" Ron said. "At the beginning of the summer Gin, Fred, George, Bill and I all met a Pegasus named Fwella."

"She's mine." Draco interjected.

"And a little while later, she showed up at night saying he'd fallen off her and into our yard. It's been raining like mad all day and still was. So we helped him to the house and Bill treated his ankle. Only Fwella didn't want him to be moved since he was unconscious so he stayed the night." Ron said.

Molly had stopped eating as she listened to her son's story. She was watching Ron mostly, but kept an eye on Draco as he ate. She wanted to see how he reacted to what Ron was saying.

"Then about last week I came across him and Fwella in the woods."

"Spied on us is more accurate." Draco said.

"It's not my fault you were so close to my house." Ron said.

"Just finish the story." Molly said, stopping the argument before it could really get underway.

"Well, he was playing his violin for her and when he finished he fell into the pond they were sitting next to." Ron said.

"Excuse me! I was pulled in by a nymph! I didn't fall." Draco said indignantly. "I'm not that clumsy."

"Alright! You were pulled in! Happy?" Ron said slightly agitated.

"Oh yes, very happy. Please do go on. Continue." Draco said with sarcasm practically dripping from his mouth

Ron rolled his eyes. "I saved him from drowning." He turned and looked at Draco. "After he fell in."

Draco narrowed his eyes but didn't cut in again. "We spent the rest of the day together." Ron hesitated. He wasn't sure he wanted to tell his mother about the encounter with the mermaids. "Then Fwella told us that Mrs. Malfoy was planning to throw a party. He was very against going so I told him that he could stay here. So now, here he is." Ron said, finishing the story.

"That's it?' Molly asked.

"The short of it." Draco said.

"Well, Draco, dear. You can stay here any time you want. Arthur and I would have no problems with it." Molly said with a smile.

Draco gave her a half smile. "You might not but I think the rest of your family might."

"Yes, well. They can just deal with it." Molly said with a little laugh. She stood and grabbed their plates. "Now. You two are going to go clean the rest of the house. I'll take care of the kitchen."

Draco and Ron thanked her as they stood. Draco followed Ron into the living room so they could start cleaning. Molly looked after them with a puzzled look on her face. She didn't know what to make of what was going on but she figured it was good for Draco. She hoped it would help knock some Malfoy beliefs out of him.

(----)

When Draco and Ron finished cleaning their mess and Draco had packed his things, they went outside to wait for Fwella. Draco unpacked his violin and was playing things for Ron. Nothing he played were things he'd composed but had been written by someone else.

"What was that from?" Ron asked after a very up-beat song.

"It's from 'Way Away' by a muggle group called Yellowcard." Draco said. "Muggle punk with an electric violin in the band."

"I still can't believe that you listen to muggle music." Ron told him.

"I can't believe that everyone doesn't." Draco said. "I hate most magic music groups. Mostly none of it is real and half of them couldn't play without magic."

"How can you be so sure?" Ron asked.

"'Know your enemy and know your facts if you're going to make an argument.'" Draco quoted. "I know much more about most magical groups than most people that like them do."

Ron looked at Draco a moment before turning away again. "You are a weird little man."

"I am not little!" Draco said. "And I'm not weird." He said after a moment's thought.

"Trust me, you're short." Ron said.

"I'm not short. I'm space efficient!" Draco said cheerfully.

"I don't know what's scarier. The fact that you said that so cheerfully or the fact that you said it to me so cheerfully."

"Oh bugger off." Draco said in mock anger as he watched Fwella fly towards them.

/Top of the morning my love!/ She yelled cheerfully at them.

"Hullo Horse!" Draco yelled back at her.

She dove down to the ground and landed a few feet before them. _/So, anything exciting happen while I was gone? Any scratches on each other that'll need fixing?/_

"Aside from Molly Weasley coming home, nothing happened. And no, no scratches." Draco told her. "Now hold still so I can put this saddle on you."

/I hate saddles../ She said childishly before turning to Ron. _/Your mum came home?/_

"She's not feeling well." Ron told her.

/The poor dear. Make her some tea and have her spend the day off her feet./

"I will." Ron promised her.

Draco finished tying his things to the saddle before he mounted. "Now you be a good boy until school starts." Draco said, teasingly.

"Funny." Ron shot back. "I was just about to tell _you_ the same thing."

Draco accepted the jibe with a slight bow and half smile before flying off. Ron watched them until they were out of sight behind the trees before going back inside the house. He still had to clean his own room.

(----)

"So love, have you been home yet?" Draco asked as they flew over the lake.

/Nope. I spent the night with that lovely family in town./ Fwella said.

"How do you expect our reception to be?" Draco asked.

/Violent. Very violent./ Fwella said, warning in her mind voice.

"Then drop me off a little ways away and then leave. I don't want you around to get hurt." Draco told her.

/I'll be fine. I'll just make myself invisible./ Fwella said.

"And you'll take wing at the first sign of trouble." Draco said sternly.

/Yes Daddy./ She said in just a way that Draco could hear her rolling her eyes in her tone.

"I'm just worried about you." Draco said, rubbing her neck.

/I know that. I'm only teasing./ Fwella said but she'd melted out of her exasperation.

Fwella landed as gracefully as ever and walked into the stables. Draco quickly unsaddled her himself and sent a waiting house elf to his room with his things. He hugged Fwella one last time before going out.

He walked through the gardens and into the house through the main entrance to the gardens. He didn't want it to seem like he was sneaking about. If he was sneaking that'd mean he'd regretted what he'd done and he didn't have any guilt. After all, he wasn't even supposed to know he'd missed anything. He was lucky, though, since the first parent he met up with was his mother.

"Draco! Where on Earth have you been?!" She asked, hugging him.

Draco smiled and hugged her back. "I was staying with Grygru. Didn't Vek tell you?"

"Well, of course he did." She said, letting go of him. "But I was just asking." Narcissa led Draco in a sitting room overlooking the garden he'd just crossed. "I'm sorry to tell you this but we'd thrown you a surprise party last night."

"A party for me?" Draco asked feigning surprise. "Why?"

"Your birthday. We figured that we should celebrate your birthday before you go back to school." She said.

"You should have told me! I wouldn't have gone to Grygru's." Draco told her.

"Well the whole point of the party was to surprise you." She said with a smile. "We were all very worried about you until Vek told us where you were. We had to apologize to the guest for your absence but it was funny in the end. No one being able to find you for your surprise party because you'd made plans to stay with a friend the same day."

Draco laughed softly. "You should have told me. I would have acted surprised. And then I would have been here instead of under the lake."

"Well, hindsight is perfect." Narcissa said. "Now go do what you want. I've got to tell your father you're sorry you missed the party and that you're home safe and sound."

"Alright Mother." Draco said.

"Oh, and tomorrow the Goyle's are taking you to Diagon Alley with them. We would take you but your father's busy and I have an appointment I can't miss."

Draco smiled again. "That's okay mother. I'm friends with their son, remember."

She smiled and nodded before leaving the room. Draco sighed heavily before getting up. He looked around the room once before leaving it and heading for the stairs.

He headed up the stairs to his own room. He walked in to find Vek setting his things in their proper places. His bag laid open on his bed with assorted items from the bag around it. Vek was levitating them to send to their place.

"I'll finish that. Go get some blankets and pillows. I feel like a day spent on the roof." Draco said, walking over. Vek stopped, nodded and disappeared. Draco sighed. "You can't stay mad at me forever." He said to empty air.

He picked up his folder and violin and walked over to his piano. He placed both on top before going back to his bed. He looked down in his bag and groaned. His music orbs had come out of their box and were now rolling around the bottom of the bag. He opened the box and began placing the orbs back in. Orbs from all four layers had come out and needed to be placed back in. Vek had come and gone on several more errands before Draco was finished.

"Now," Draco said, slamming the lid on the box shut. "I get changed and then we go to the roof."

Draco walked over to his wardrobe and picked out a linen tunic and loose pants to match. He quickly stripped then pulled on his comfortable cloths. He walked back to the bed and tucked the orb box under his arm. He walked over to the door, Vek following with a picnic basket of food.

Draco walked across the house to the other side to the servants stairway. He opened the door and climbed the rickety staircase up to the next floor. This floor had narrower hallways and doors closer together. It was were the house elves slept. Draco was bowed to, but pretty much ignored, by the house elves lingering by their rooms for some or another reason. He nodded a greeting to the few that he knew as he walked through. When he came to the ladder in an abandoned room he climbed it. It opened up into a tiny crawlspace of an attic. Draco walked hunched over to the middle of the space. He pushed up and opened up the hidden door. He stood and pushed himself out of the hole with his arms. Vek followed after him after using a bit of magic to get himself up and out. Draco walked across the widows walk to a large, flat space where Vek had laid down pillows and the blankets. The whole space was enclosed by wrought iron gating. Draco walked over to the space and stood at the edge, his hands on the gating. Behind him, Vek set the basket down and disappeared.

Draco looked out over all he could see. Nearly all he could see would belong to him when his father died. The forests, the lakes, the ponds, the farmers and whatever else happened to live on the land. And he didn't want an inch of it since it would mean that he couldn't be who he wanted to be. All he wanted was a chance and the freedom to be himself.

TBC

Oh I love getting reviews!! I specially love the reviews from you,

Faint Hate!! Hehehe, dirty thoughts are great. And lines implying dirty things but really not meaning them are better. Aw, I wish it was four days, but as you can see, only the one night. Ron was just supposed to be home alone for four days, but even that was ruined.

Jackie Malfoy!!! Oo! I love Draco being artsy. I always figured that since he grew up rich, they made him take 'sophisticated' things like private music classes and stuff like that. (Pst, he can also do several old school dances, as well as a few dirty ones too) Nope! Me too!! Artsy!Draco all the way!! Ron wishes he could play music as good, but can't sadly.

Switch!!! Lol, Heheh, I love being loved 'so freaking much.' It's great for my self-esteem. Ah! Sorry, but updates have a set schedule. I'm not adverse to bribes for one-shots but I've got a set schedule for chapt fics. If I didn't, I'd lose myself and end up never updating like I did EotA.

ElvenGirl2!!! Lol, thanks hun. Loves much to you!!!!

I Heart DM 11!!!! Hehe, typing your name and then the exclamation points always trips me up. I also have too many one's. Oh, and thanks for reminding me about that little side drabble. I just gotta finish it up and then I'll post it, kay? (and no, I don't want the cherry 'cause I don't like them, but I will take the stem of the cherry since I like tying them with my tongue ( . so weird)) You may always use that phrase. Heh, that deal is abused very much but saying more is a spoiler, so hushing up now like J.K-sama herself.

Red-Chan!!! Lol, I like your idea for the waking up, but sadly I couldn't do that to them. But! You were right about someone coming home early! Have you been peeking into my brain? Lol, thank so much for putting me on alert and stuff. That makes my day, and very much so.

Tigerlilly2063!!!! I love my Draco (snuggles him). Fwella is my fave OC yet. She's exactly how I would want a big sister to be (glances at her two big sis's). It's a lot of fun to write her. She's not quite snaky (is that a word?) but close enough for me. Heh, Draco hides his emotions when he wants. Thank on that. Hehe, you have no idea how hard it was to write that chapter and not have indecent "accidental" touching. But no!! It's too soon!! Too soon I say!! Hope your curiosity was satisfied.

Yuuri-chan!! Heya!!! Ron is too confused by what's happening to be a horrible prat, besides he has no one to show off to now. (firm believer in that Draco and Ron only fight so much to keep face with friends.) And yes, Draco is kinda out of character, but then again, we don't exactly know what 'in character' for Draco really is. J.K-sama has always told the story from Harry's POV and only mentioned Draco doing devilish things. No one, but JK-sama, can say for certain what Draco's IC is. So, I've taken poetic license to say that's him. That and I don't think that D/R would be possible without one of them, or both, being OOC. Heh, yeah, RonDraco. It'll show up from time to time but it'll definitely be DracoRon when the 'goods' happen. (glomps) Thanks so much for the grammar and spelling mistakes pointing outtage. I've got horrible grammar and spelling on my own and I don't have anything to help with it but my comp. I don't particularly like using beta's for… reasons. I'm always happy to know what I do wrong. After all, you can right what you don't know is wrong, right? It might take me a few times but I'll eventually get it right. Trust me, anything I do here isn't half as bad as what I do when I write long hand. It's just sickening then.


	8. Eighth Chapter

So, last one was early, this one was late. I'm a bad person. Now, I gotta hurry this so I can head to bed. First track meet tomorrow, and all that jazz.

Also, I'm posting the fic I wrote instead of updating this. I hope you like it. I'm very proud of it.

Oh, and Go read November02's recently completed fic 'Unknown' Not only is it wonderful, but she's wonderful. That and if you know the plot than you can read the lemon I'm writing for her. So! Read the story so you can read the lemon!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything related to Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Goddess J.K.Rowling who will hopefully soon bestow us with Book Six. Freesia op.2 doesn't belong to me either. It belongs to my beloved Gackt-san. Aburey, however, does belong to me. I created him years ago, and I love him very much. So, please don't steal him or he'll put up the kind of fight you won't like.

Warning: OOC!Draco. Will be Draco/Ron slash. They are going to have sex, but that'll come after they get together, which isn't in the close future, unfortunately.

And since I'm a copy/paste whore, I haven't forgotten this.

"blah" Regular speech

/blah/ Fwella speech.

"blah" Mermaid speech.

None of what I try to use to separate works!! (Cries) (----) Will now be my lame separator.

Freesia op.2 by Aloh Dark

Fwella found Draco sitting with his back against the gate.

__

/Hullo lovely. What're you doing?/ She asked as she gracefully landed on a space left clear for her. She settled down to sit. Draco had the sudden image of a young lady wearing an old-fashioned dress smoothing her skirts out around her as she sat.

"I've been thinking." Draco said.

__

/So that explains the beads of sweat./ Fwella said, teasing.

"Fwella." Draco said with raised eyebrows.

__

/I get it. Serious time. I'm sorry./

"That's okay. Just hear me out." Draco said. Fwella nodded. "I have to tell them. Not now, but soon. I can't keep this a secret much longer."

__

/But Draco. They'll freak./

"You think I don't know that?" Draco asked. "But lately, I've just.."

__

/Gotten restless with lying./

Draco looked up at the sky. "You know how long I've kept this a secret."

__

/Two years or so now./ Fwella answered even though it wasn't a question.

A silence stretched between them. Draco was looking up at the clouds and Fwella was looking where she pleased but keeping an eye on Draco. It was a few minutes before either of them spoke.

"Pansy broke up with me." Draco said.

__

/Why, I thought she liked you?/ Fwella asked.

"Something or another about neglecting her. That was a bunch of rot though. She started dating a sixth year Ravenclaw a few days later. Well, he's seventh year now."

__

/It's alright though. You only started dating her to keep people from guessing who you really liked./

Draco snorted. "I never told you who that was, did I?"

__

/Not a breath./ Fwella said.

"Well, I don't like him now so it doesn't matter. Want to know about him anyway?" Draco asked.

__

/Of course I do. I'm always curious as to what's happening in your love life./

Draco made a small jump and turned so he was sitting on the railing. He locked his feet around the bars and held onto the rail. There were all sorts of spells so he wouldn't fall, but he just liked to be sure since one could never know. "He was beautiful." He said. "Inside and out. He was a Ravenclaw with the heart of a Hufflepuff. I thought he was absolutely brilliant."

__

/But who is he? What does he look like?/ Fwella demanded.

Draco rolled his eyes at her. "Ruin the moment, why don't you." Fwella snorted. "His name is Jason Hoskings. And now he's about... Six-one. Brown hair, brown eyes and tan-ish skin. Happy?"

__

/Sounds cute./

"He is." Draco said. "I admire him."

__

/But you don't like him anymore?/

"No. He's a good person but I grew out of the crush long ago. Some things aren't meant to last."

__

/So lovely, who is it now that you like?/

Draco just winked and smiled. "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie pop?"

__

/Have you gone mad?/

"The world may never know." Draco laughed at his little joke and winked at Fwella. "It's a muggle thing."

__

/You and your sudden fascination with everything muggle./ She said with a shake of her head.

"I don't see what's so bad about muggles. They're useful for amusement." Draco told her with a shrug.

__

/That why this summer has been one act of rebellion after another?/

"That and that I'm sick of playing the role Father has painted for me." Draco said.

__

/Lets think about this. A fifteen, nearly sixteen, year old boy wants to become his own man. He doesn't want to listen to his father anymore. He wants the freedom to find himself. Oh how cliché./ Fwella teased.

Draco rolled his eyes. "It's still true."

__

/I never said that clique's weren't true! They're clique because they've been proven true so many times./

Draco stood and turned back to look over the railing. "I hate this life." He said softly.

__

/I know love. But soon school will start and you can make a new you there, away from your father. And in just two short years you'll be free of school and your father if you wish. You can travel the world, if you so desire./

Draco closed his eyes and let the sun soak into his skin. "I couldn't do that. It's be too much like running away and abandoning everything."

__

/Then stay here and look for yourself. But I promise you, as long as you live under your father, you'll never be free./ She told him.

Draco turned and looked straight into her eyes, knowing how right she was. "I can't fight this war alone."

__

/You don't have to./

(----)

"Crabbe, Goyle." Draco said in a highly annoyed voice. "Get over here you doddering fools."

"Sorry, sorry. I just-" Crabbe began.

"Saw something shinny?" Draco cut in.

Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other as Draco turned on heal and continued at a crisp pace.

Draco wasn't usually cruel to them, but he wasn't in the mood for anyone. He and his father had had a row the night before and over breakfast. He was on edge and angry and Crabbe and Goyle presented easy targets to vent his rage on.

"Where are we going?" Goyle asked.

"The Split Tongue." Draco said.

"But that's over on Falling Star Avenue." Crabbe said.

"You think I don't know that?" Draco asked. "Remember, I've been roaming these streets a lot longer than either of you."

"But Falling Star opens into the Circle of Lights." Goyle said.

Draco rolled his eyes and gave a loud huff of annoyance. "Listen and get this through you're thick skulls." He said, turning on heal towards them. "We are not going into the Circle of Lights. We are going to The Split Tongue on Falling Star. No further." Draco turned back on heal and hurried along.

Crabbe and Goyle looked after him, stunned, before following. They hurried down Diagon Alley and across Knockturn. They walked down and past a few other streets to get to Falling Star.

Falling Star Avenue consisted of pubs and clubs only. It had its own entrance to the muggle world for easier, and more secretive, access. It was near deserted at that time of day but in a few hours it would begin to come alive, as would the Circle of Lights which Falling Star opened into.

"Why are we here?" Goyle asked.

"I have to meet an associate of mine. We have business to conduct." Draco said as turned towards one of the only buildings open at that time of day. They hurried into the darkly lit building. Draco stood in the doorway until his eyes adjusted to the dimness.

Over in the darkest corner was the only person in the room. A man wearing a Victorian style suit sat lazily, staring at the trio.

"Aburey." Draco said in greetings.

The man stood up and turned out to not be a man at all. He had reddish-brown skin which, under his cloths, was criss-crossed with thin white scars. His eyes glowed yellow-green in his hauntingly human-like face. Four long claws protruded from his hands. Pointed ears jutted out from the sides of his head and laid flat along the sides of his skull. Long, translucent, white-ish hair was pulled back from his face with a velvet ribbon.

"Draconis." He said with a slight bow and silky, untraceable accent. "You kept me vwaiting long enough."

"It's not exactly a few meters away from where I'm supposed to be." Draco said.

"Vwell, I suppose vwe can let it slide diz time." Aburey said. "Sa back?"

"Take a seat." Draco said to the boys behind him. "I'll be right back." Draco proceeded Aburey into a back room.

"There's only two things this particular potion is used for." Draco said, walking over to the bare table in the room. He lightly jumped onto it and faced Aburey from his sitting position.

The seven foot six inch tall demon walked over to the only chair and sat in it, facing Draco. "I know zat. Vwhy do you sink I asked?"

Draco took out a silver flask with an inlaid cross design on it. Aburey laughed at the joke and shook his head. "Now where's mine?"

Aubrey reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a vodka bottle filled with a royal blue liquid. He lightly threw the bottle at Draco, whom caught it easily. He opened the bottle and lightly sniffed. Satisfied with the smell he closed it again. "I expect you will be hanging around Hogsmeade in a while."

Aburey snorted and walked over to Draco. He towered over the boy and forced Draco to look up with a claw around his neck. "Only if I get this." He whispered, accent free. One of his clawed fingers gently ran up and down the pulse in Draco's throat.

Draco smirked and didn't move away. "You could kill me in the twist of hand." He whispered frankly.

"Vwhich is vwhy you like to play." Aburey said, taking his hand slowly away.

They stared into each others eyes as Draco walked across the room. They kept eye contact until Draco shut the door between them. He quickly shoved the bottle into his bag before walking towards the main doors. Crabbe and Goyle followed instantly behind him.

On the way back to Diagon Alley, they burned to question Draco about the demon but didn't dare. They knew it was none of their business and if Draco wanted them to know, he'd tell them.

When they reached Diagon Alley, they rushed to Flourish and Blots, where they had to meet up with Mrs. Goyle. They found her waiting for them outside of the building with a house elf in tow.

"There you three are." She said. "Give your things to it and let it take them back to the carriage. It won't due to have you carrying them about." Crabbe, Goyle and Draco gave their bags to the house elf she'd mentioned before following her inside.

Inside the shop there were several families and lone shoppers looking over the books. One new bookcase proudly exclaimed 'Hogwarts Course Books.' Eight rows of books gracefully stood at attention. The topmost row was made of the elective class books while the bottom seven had a row for each year.

Mrs. Goyle grabbed the managers arm as he walked past and forced him to halt. "Be a dear and help us. My boys need their books."

"Just a minute, Ma'am." He said with a nod before walking to the register. A pair of second years stood before the counter with their books piled on the top. They paid for their books and the manager placed them in bags before he walked back over to Mrs. Goyle

"Now boys, give the man your list." She said in a false sweet voice. The manager rolled his eyes as he took the list from them. He made quick practiced work of grabbing the books and banishing them to the register. He double checked the lists to make sure he'd gotten them all before leading them over to the three piles of books. The boys paid for their piles separately and Mrs. Goyle made arrangements for them to be delivered to their separate houses.

Draco led the way out of the shop. Crabbe asked him a question just as he opened the door so he turned to answer him while taking a step out. He was stopped abruptly and knocked off balance as he walked into someone. Draco turned to find a very angry Hermione staring up at him.

Draco grinned. "Why if it isn't Granger. And all alone, too. You're getting brave."

Hermione stood up and dusted off her pants before picking up the bag she'd dropped. "I don't need to be brave. There's nothing here to be afraid of."

Draco lost half his grin but turned it into a half smirk. "Careful. Thinking like that will get you dead." He said softly. "Come Crabbe, Goyle. We have better things to do." He said loudly before walking off.

Hermione watched them walk off in a state of shocked surprise. It was only as she walked into the book store that she realized he'd called her 'Granger' instead of the usual 'Mudblood.'

(----)

"How was your day with the Goyle's dear?" Narcissa asked over dinner that night.

"It was fine. Nothing happened but nothing didn't happen." Draco said before taking a sip of wine.

"Did you get everything you needed?" She asked. "Everything you wanted?"

"Yes Mum." Draco said his mind slipping to the blue bottle hidden in his school trunk. He quickly banished those thoughts away.

Narcissa opened her mouth to say something more but was cut off by Lucius. He'd slammed his hand down on the table, causing things to dance before settling down. He slowly glanced at each of them in turn before resuming to eat. Nothing more was spoken over dinner that night.

(----)

Draco packed his trunk for the trip back to Hogwarts that morning. Vek was standing in the corner looking affronted that Draco was packing and not letting Vek do it for him. Draco ignored Vek's glaring as he continued to pack. He'd been packing his own trunk for the past several years and Vek always acted like it was an insult every time.

Draco carefully placed the box full of compositions at the bottom of the trunk. He placed his violin on top of the box and looked longingly at his piano. He wanted very badly to take the piano with him but knew he couldn't. He also knew a little charm to turn tables into piano's so it wasn't necessary. That piano had been given to him by Nicodemus himself, his ghost in all actuality, and Draco hated to part with it for so long a time.

When Draco had finished packing away everything he considered fragile, he let Vek finish packing for him. He knew he had to make an appearance for breakfast and needed to get down there. He was barefoot with old comfortable cloths he wore when he was working on a composition. He knew he looked no better than a peasant but didn't care. He was comfortable and he wasn't going to change for his father.

Draco walked into the Breakfast Hall and walked over to his seat across from his mother. The two of them exchanged morning greetings and waited for Lucius to show. After a few minutes a small house elf showed up and told them he wouldn't be coming to breakfast or be going with them to Kings Cross.

"Well, then I guess it's just the two of us." Narcissa said with her eyes sparkling.

"Then I shall have the pleasure of your company all to myself." Draco said with a wink as he held up his glass of milk.

Narcissa held up her glass to finished the toast. They brought the goblets to their lips and sipped before beginning to eat their meal. They ate their meal while keeping up a lively conversation. Narcissa was a lively woman when she wanted to be and excellent company when she was. Draco only hoped it lasted all the way to the Hogwarts Express.

After breakfast Draco went back to his room to change. He'd need to wear muggle cloths since they would have to walk through a bit of muggle London to reach the station. Instead of wearing a suit like he did for the last five years, Draco choose the cloths Ron had given him.

He pulled on a pair of blue satin boxers before pulling on the pants. He spayed cologne on before picking up his shirt. He turned it around so it would be on right and pulled it over his head. He walked to his dresser and slipped his watch around his left wrist. He tied some royal blue string loosely around his right wrist before putting his two necklaces on. One was a simple silver chain from his mother with a silver dragon charm with green eyes hanging from it. The other was a thick, many linked chain that laid heavily around his neck.

He looked himself over in the mirror as he picked up his gel. He was about to squirt some into his hand to smooth his hair back but decided against it. He brushed his hair and let it hang loose. He carefully applied light touches of makeup to enhance his features before declaring himself ready.

He walked down to the Entrance Hall where he knew his mother would be waiting for him. He found her in a stylish pants and vest suit with her hair in a loose bun at the nape of her neck. She was standing next to, of all people, Mrs. Zabini and Blaise. Blaise was looking completely board with what the mothers were rambling on about.

Draco knew the second that Blaise realized he was on the stairs. Blaise raised an eyebrow and began to walk towards him. "What on Earth are you wearing?"

Draco grinned. "Clothing. And a little bit of cologne."

Blaise rolled his eyes. "I can see, and smell, that." He said. "But where did you get those? I know you couldn't have gotten it from a relative. They'd've been skinned alive by your father."

"No, of course not. Do you think that any of my relatives would pick any of these clothes out for me even if they weren't afraid of Lucius?" Draco asked.

Blaise laughed softly. "You've got a point. Your family does seem to have more... Elegant taste in clothing no matter who it's for."

"Are you boys coming or not? We'll be late if we don't start moving." Narcissa said.

"And no wants to be late for school now do they?" Mrs. Zabini asked.

Draco and Blaise looked at each other and smiled. They put their hands to their foreheads. "I feel faint." They said in unison.

Mrs. Zabini rolled her eyes. "Get a move on before I make you feel faint."

Draco and Blaise laughed at their own antics and followed their mothers. It was good to be among friends.

TBC

Thanks, as always, to my beloved readers. Thanks especially to….

StrangeMi!!!! Ah!!! The bribes were wonderful!! Too bad it didn't work. Maybe if I (mutters along to self) Anyway, thank you!!

Faint Hate!!! (drools with you) I know, I know!! I've been so hungry for fan service that I had to do it myself. Lol, yes Molly just got into the way.. (dreams of all the smutt she could have written)

ElvenGirl2!!! Loves you!! Thanks a whole bushel too!

Meirta!! I'm so glad you like it enough to keep reading even when you're not a big r/d shipper! That really makes my day to hear that!

I Heart DM 11!!!!! Hahaha!! I didn't mess up the 1's and !'s this time!! (dances) Yes, wet boys are very very hot. Though, sadly, I couldn't fit any fan service in this chappy.


	9. Ninth Chapter

So, I'm so totally behind in writing the next chapter. But, I think it's for a good reason. (giggles) I've got a boyfriend!! I've got a boyfriend!! (dances) Sorry, just gotta gloat. I love my Ricky to death.

Oh, and for the past three weeks, my last three meets, I've come in first in weight. Oh hells yeah.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything related to Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Goddess J.K.Rowling who will hopefully soon bestow us with Book Six. Freesia op.2 doesn't belong to me either. It belongs to my beloved Gackt-san.

Warning: OOC!Draco. Will be Draco/Ron slash. They are going to have sex, but that'll come after they get together, which isn't in the close future, unfortunately.

And since I'm a copy/paste whore, I haven't forgotten this.

"blah" Regular speech

/blah/ Fwella speech.

"blah" Mermaid speech.

None of what I try to use to separate works!! (Cries) (----) Will now be my lame separator.

Freesia op.2 by Aloh Dark

Draco and Blaise chatted through the Leaky Cauldron. People watched their way through, knowing who's children they were just by the sight of them. Blaise was the spitting image of his father and no one could miss Draco's distinct 'Malfoy' hair. They were through to muggle London quickly, which the boys were very happy for. Neither liked being judged by their fathers.

The two kids slipped in easily with the crowd but their mothers got side looks from the muggles. They tended to make rude remarks about the muggles as they walked. This caused confusing in the muggles but hysterics in the boys who couldn't help but join in every once in a while.

They walked a few blocks to Kings Cross Station where they crossed over onto Platform 9 3/4. It wasn't quite the regular routine that year, making it more exciting. Usually Narcissa, Lucius and Draco would take one of the cars to Kings Cross and that would be all. But the addition of Mrs. Zabini and Blaise, the subtraction of Lucius and the car made it all the more unusual. Draco couldn't have been happier with the change.

Narcissa led them over to where a house elf was waiting by their trunks. Very few students had arrived since it was still early. The house elf was dismissed and disappeared, leaving the trunks in Blaise's and Draco's care. Soon after, their mothers kissed their cheeks and wished them a happy term before leaving.

Draco and Blaise found a car together and put their trunks away. They didn't feel like staying on the train, though, and headed off to find some friends. Blaise soon found some of his Ravenclaw mates and they chatted for a while.

It wasn't long before both Crabbe and Goyle showed up and Draco began to make rounds with them in tow. He felt a little guilty over the way he'd treated them before but he wasn't any where close to apologizing. They didn't expect it of him either.

As the time neared when the train was to leave, Blaise showed Crabbe and Goyle to the compartment where his and Draco's trunks were. Draco stayed out on the platform for a little longer, wanting to watch everyone around him without distractions. Only his silent observation was cut short by familiar voices behind him.

He turned to see Ron, Hermione and Harry walking together and towards him. Draco crossed his arms over his chest and raised his chin. He held his ground as they walked closer.

As the trio got closer, they took notice of Draco and their conversation became louder. Draco didn't say anything as they passed and neither did they. Ron shocked them all by stopping and facing Draco.

"It's the beginning of term." Ron told him.

"I know that. I'm not stupid." Draco said. They both were looking at each other, feeling out the ends of the deal. Draco reached into his pocket and pulled out a box he'd placed in there earlier. "Fwella sends this and her regards." Draco said as he tossed it to Ron.

Ron caught it clumsily. "What is it?" He asked.

Draco shrugged. "A gift, she said."

"Tell her 'thanks' for me." Ron said.

"Tell her yourself." Draco shot back. "She'll be at Hogwarts in two weeks."

"Why?" Ron asked. Neither boy noticed the looks they were getting from people around them.

Draco snorted. "As if I'd tell you." He brushed past him and walked to the prefect car.

Harry and Hermione rounded on Ron. "What was that all about?" Hermione asked.

Ron watched Draco's retreating back. "Rebellion in action." Ron said mysteriously.

As his friends questioned him further, he gave no more explanation than that.

(----)

Draco slammed the door to the compartment, making its three occupants jump.

"Draco? What the hell?" Blaise demanded.

"Sorry." Draco muttered. "I can't stand those ramblings on about setting examples for other students and all that other bullshit."

"Still no reason to be breaking doors." Blaise said teasingly.

"I'd like to see you handle sitting there with that Pansy bitch trying to flirt with you after she broke up with you to start dating some bloody bastard an hour later." Draco said, putting more venom into it than he really felt.

"Was she really, now?" Crabbe asked.

"That whore." Goyle said.

Draco sat down, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I hate girls. They should be locked up and only taken out when a man wants sex."

"That's a fairly sexist statement." Blaise said dryly.

"That's the only use for them, as I see it right now." Draco said. "Or they could legalize the Unforgivables so I can Crucio the bitch whenever she's near me."

"I think your first idea is more plausible than the second." Blaise said. "Besides, your Crucio is never really any good. You're much better at the Imperius Curse. With and without your wand."

"What do you mean by that?" Goyle asked.

"He means that I can make anyone do what I want no matter if I'm actually using Imperius or not." Draco said. "Right?" He asked Blaise with a raise of his eyebrow.

"Nearly. You can't make everyone do what you want. Just nearly everyone." Blaise said.

"Doesn't matter." Draco said. "Anyone I can't make control with my words I can control with my magic."

"Aren't you a self-confident little bastard." Blaise said with a friendly smirk.

"Why shouldn't I be?" Draco asked. "I'm Draco Octavian Malfoy."

The rest of the trip to Hogwarts was pleasant and seemingly fast. As they came close, they changed and Draco left them. They split up all the candies they'd gotten before leaving. He did his prefect duties before finding Crabbe and Goyle to get into the carriages.

He shuddered inwardly at the sight of the thestral but didn't comment. He knew about only those who'd seen death being able to see them long before coming to Hogwarts and knew never to comment on being able to see them. He didn't like to think on that memory.

The carriages pulled them to the front gates of Hogwarts Castle where the mass of second through seventh year students were entering the school. Crabbe, Goyle and Draco found Blaise and sat with him at the Slytherin table.

"Good to be back, isn't it?" Blaise asked the three of them.

Crabbe and Goyle began telling Blaise about random things but Draco was gazing up at the High Table. He caught Snape's eye and itched his right cheek. Snape understood the message and drummed his fingers on the table. Draco barely nodded before turning back to his friends.

They all waited eagerly for the sorting ceremony to start. Soon McGonagalld walked in with the first years in tow. They all seemed nervous except for one, Draco noted. The one being Marianna. She walked with brisk, calm, casual steps. From the look on her face Draco knew that she was her mothers daughter.

Marianna wasn't a relative of Draco's but he'd grown up calling her mother 'Aunt.' Their mothers had been good friends back in their school days and still were. Marianna's mother, Julia, had fought her husband tooth and nail to allowed her to go to Hogwarts instead of Beuxbaxton. They lived in France so she would have gone there if Julia had not fallen in love with Hogwarts while there herself.

As the first years dwindled down and were separated into their houses, Marianna didn't loose her cool. She waited calmly even though her peers were fidgeting with nervous energy. Draco looked down at her hands and saw she was pinching her stomach, barely noticeable from behind her hands. Draco sighed inwardly. He was taught to do the same thing to keep the indifferent mask when he was younger. Focus on physical pain rather than emotional stress.

"de Sade, Marianna." Was finally called with the 'S's rather than the 'd's.

Marianna walked stately up to the hat and sat on the stool. The hat was lowered and Marianna sat blinded. Draco saw her lips twitch and knew she found something funny. Not before long the hat yelled 'Slytherin!' and no one clapped louder than Draco himself.

Marianna didn't show anything but polite pleasure as she walked towards Draco. Draco dropped all formalities and pulled her into a tight hug. She was grinning hugely as she sat down next to him.

When the ceremony was finished the stool was taken out and so was the hat. Dumbledore stood up and the whole place went silent.

"Another year full of new beginnings." Dumbledore said. "To our new first years, may these years be some of the best of your lives. To our seventh years, you will be most missed when you leave. I would like to inform all of you that the forest on grounds is accessible only to those who want to die a most horrid and painful death. Also, Mr. Filch had brought it to my attention that a few Weasley Wizard Weeze products have been added to his list of forbidden items. To see which items, consult Mr. Filch. And I would like to introduce you to our newest Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." He said with a wave of his hand towards a young woman that was sitting next to Professor Snape. "Professor Hawthorne has joined us all the way from the United States." The ripple of whispers followed that statement. Another D.A.D.A teacher was in their midst. No one knew what to expect with this new one. "Now, let the feast begin." He clapped his hands and the tables filled with dinner.

(----)

The next morning found Draco stretching with a frown. He was back at Hogwarts and no longer free to do what he wanted, when he wanted. He sighed and pulled out his orb box. He pulled out a pearly white orb and placed it to his head. He pressed it against his head and felt it slip through his skull. The orb began to play music for his ears only, and changed songs with the commanding thoughts from Draco.

Draco hummed along to 'Nowhere Kids' by Smile Empty Soul as he changed for the day. He grabbed a cloak and put it around his shoulders before leaving his dorm. He walked out of the school and into the sleepy, pre-dawn grey. He looked at the horizon for a moment before sighing and walking to the Quidditch Pitch.

He smiled slightly to himself as he neared the giant arena. Something about this area calmed him as nowhere else on school grounds did. He looked down at the shell bracelet he wore on his left wrist and shook his head. He missed Grygru and the other mermaids already. He looked to the sky and sighed. He missed Fwella more than anyone one or anything else.

He climbed the nearest set of stairs and reached the tiers of Hufflepuff seats. He climbed to the top and sat with his back to the back wall. He closed his eyes and thought about his plans for the year.

First thing first and foremost. He had a promise to keep with Ron. He promised he'd be act more like he did at home. Well, that would have to start with shaving away school prejudices. The first thing Ron would like to see would him being nicer to Potter and Granger, that Draco already knew. He'd have to start with the way he thought about them, especially Granger. He'd stopped calling her 'mudblood' in his head years ago, so now he only had to stop calling her it in public, which he'd already managed to do. And Potter, well, he'd just have to keep all his thoughts on him being an asshole to himself. No way calling him such would be keeping things civil.

Second, he'd need to slowly drift away from his fathers ideals. It wouldn't be easy to get others to believe he'd changed, so he wanted to ease them into the idea first. After all, if you were used to something you barely noticed it until too late. Like growing. You never realize you're growing until, bang, your pants don't fit anymore!

Third, ...there's a red head waving at him. Draco squinted at the red head running up the stands to meet him.

"Draco!" Ron chirped happily as he sat down heavily on the row below him. His face was flushed the color of his hair from the run. "Glad to be back, eh?"

Draco looked down at him impassively. "Didn't I tell you this summer that I don't like being here?"

"Yeah, you did but I forget why you don't like it. Can you remind me?" Ron asked.

Draco snorted. "For one, get that stupid look off your face. Your innocent act isn't fooling me for a second. I know damn well I didn't tell you anything about why I hate it here."

"Wait, you hate it? You only told me you don't like it here because you like being alone."

Draco muttered a curse. "Yes, I hate it here and I like being alone."

Ron grinned. "Care to tell me why?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to tell you Weasley. So give it up."

"It's Ron."

"What?" Draco asked slightly confused.

"You called me 'Weasley' and I'm telling you to call me Ron." Ron said, looking up at Draco.

"Oh, alright." Draco said. He knew that Ron wanted to him to call him that, but he'd purposely been avoiding it.

"Look, we're having one on one time. My part of the deal. And yesterday, you were nice. Your part of the deal. This isn't so hard." Ron said cheerfully.

Draco 'hmm'ed before narrowing his eyes at Ron. "Don't you usually sleep late?" He asked suddenly.

Ron flushed guiltily. "Actually, I usually wake up early then sneak back in and go back to sleep." He admitted. "But no one is supposed to know that."

"Then why tell me?" Draco asked.

"Because I have a lot more blackmail on you." Ron said with a grin.

Draco laughed softly through his nose. "That's true." He smirked. "But who would believe you?"

Ron grinned. "You have a point there."

They sat in silence for a few minutes as the sky softly turned to light pinks and purples. Neither wanted to break the comfortable silence that had grown between them. In the short amounts of time they'd spent together that summer something had broken between them and neither wanted to bring it back.

"Did you know what Fwella gave me?" Ron asked suddenly, turning to face Draco.

"No. She had Vek pack it. What was it?" Draco asked, slightly interested.

"Feathers and a letter." Ron said.

"The feathers were her flight feathers probably." Draco mused. "They have all sorts of magical properties."  
"That's what Hermione said." Ron said softly.

"What did the letter say?" Draco asked.

"A lot actually. Most of which I can't tell you. But she did say the weirdest thing that I can't quiet figure out." Ron told him. "It was about you."

Draco raised an eyebrow, his intrest peeked. "What'd it say?"

"She told me to help you figure yourself out. She said that she believed I could help you to finally, er, 'finally find your happiness.' Care to explain?" Ron asked, confused.

Draco shook his head with a sigh. "She's playing the secrets game. Remind me to smack her when she gets here."

"Secrets game?" Ron asked. "What's that?"

Draco grinned. "It's like the lanterns in the Circle of Lights. If you have to ask, you're too young to know."

"Isn't the Circle of Lights the whore district off Diagon Alley?" Ron asked.

Draco looked offended. "It most certainly isn't! The Circle of Lights offers entertainment in it's most carnal form. If you want whores, don't go to the Circle. The Circle caters only to the finest of tastes."

"It's still full of brothels though, isn't it?" Ron asked.

"In a word, yes." Draco admitted. "Though if you call any of the working girls or boys there whores they're likely to hex you."

"How do you know?" Ron asked.

"I grew up around the older ones." Draco said with a smile. "I'd constantly get myself lost on Falling Star and the girls and boys of the Circle would keep me until Father or Mother came for me."

Ron blinked at him. "I don't know if I should be amused or disgusted."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Think what you like but I didn't have the most normal of childhoods."

"Is that why you're such a freak now?" Ron asked.

Draco hit the back of Ron's head. "I'm not a freak."

Ron grabbed the back of his head. "Are too." He said childishly.

Draco rolled his eyes. "I'm not having this argument with you."

Ron laughed softly. "Fine. I still think you're screwed up somehow."

"Yeah, well, you're a poor arsehole." Draco said.

Ron usually would have gotten extremely mad at Draco for saying that, but he didn't. He just laughed louder at Draco's sullen expression. When he finished laughing, he just smiled up at Draco.

"I'm going to end up killing you, aren't I?" Draco asked dryly.

"Nope. Can't kill me." Ron said.

"I can try though." Draco said.

"Of course you can try. But you won't succeed." Ron said. "Besides, why would you want to kill me?"  
"You know too much." Draco said.

"Fine, we'll make the balance of blackmail more even." Ron said.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Go on."  
Ron thought a moment. "I still sleep with a blankie." He said softly.

"Really?" Draco said, laughter shaking his voice.

"Yeah. OH, oh! I also use scented lotion." Ron told him with a grin.

Draco laughed. "Not even I do that! I don't use lotion at all!"

Ron's ears were bright red. "Just giving you things to balance the blackmail." He said.

Draco grinned down at him. "I think I'm going to like getting to know you." He said.

Ron grinned back. "I'm glad."

Draco stood and stretched. He stared into the sunrise. "I think you should be heading back in if you don't want your game to be caught." He said, not looking at Ron.

"Yeah, I should." Ron said as he stood up.

The two boys walked next to each other as they climbed down the stairs. Silence surrounded them as they walked to the front doors of the school. When they reached the entrance hall they said their goodbyes. Ron waved back at him while stifling a yawn and was soon out of sight.

Draco stood with his hands in his pockets for a moment before heading back down to the Slytherin common room. A nice cheery fire filled the room with heat and light. Draco sat down in his favorite chair next to the fire and stared into the flames. He reached out his hand and grabbed the book laying on a nearby table. He picked up the book and began to read about Vanyel as he waited for the rest of his house to wake up.

TBC

Thanks TO!!!!!

Faint Hate!!!! Lol, Draco is such a girl. And yes, that does make him that much hotter. Tom Felton is a sexy bitch too, (ogles movie) Lol, R/D stuff is coming soon. …I hope at least. And thanks for the luck!

Meirta!!!! Hehe, the plot hast thickened. The demon is Aburey and the blue potion… Well, you'll find out. AHA! I hope this helped lessen you taste for Draco/school mate interactions. Ah, yes. Fwella will show up.

I Heart DM 11!!!! They're at school now!!! (claps too) Heh, I love MuggleDressed!Draco! He'd be so very hot. AH!! I'm doing this the same day I had planned, can I have the cookie and hug?!?!?!!

Red-Chan!!! (throws more at you)


	10. Tenth Chapter

So, I know this was due out New Years, but it didn't make it. Writers block, which is killing me, delayed this. Only I had it done and was going to post itfour days ago, but that was the night Ricky broke up with me. So, I've been a little emotionally distraught and didn't feel like posting.

Besides a broken heart, I've been pretty good. Still getting first in weight at meets. In fact, today I pr-ed, again. 42 feet, 6 1/2 inches!! WoOt!! Go me!!

Made baklavayesterday with Trescha, Kristan, Amanda and Brad. Kinda kidnapped Amanda and Brad from their houses. First we got Amanda, and man was it funny.

Kristan was on my cell with her and before she even said who she was she told Amanda to outside. When she opened the door, we were sitting in my car waiting for her. She screamed so loud we could hear her through the phone.

Then we kidnapped Brad. Well, that was just dumb. Trescha called him and told him we were kidnapping him. But she wasn't too good at being demanding so I took the phone, mind you I was driving so it was a little illegal, and said "Brad, hunny, you're being kidnapped." And he said 'okay' so I told him to get ready and he said okay and then I told him we would be there soon, he said okay. Then we said bye and drove to his house. Kristan and I went through his garage, found him, and dragged him to the car. Of course we said 'hi' and 'bye' to his mom but never said where we were going. It was a kidnapping after all.

It was so much fun. We're all going to see The Phantom of the Opera Monday. It'll be awesome!!

Oh, and this long rant is because I can't get into my lj, so I'm putting it here for later reference.

Oh, and if you're my fiftieth reviewer, tell me what kinda drabble you want. Gotta give ya love!!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything related to Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Goddess J.K.Rowling who's hopefully having a wonderful, and successful pregnancy. Freesia op.2 doesn't belong to me either. It belongs to my beloved Gackt-san. Any songs in this chapter which I have forgotten are there belong to their respective owners.

Warning: OOC!Draco. Will be Draco/Ron slash. They are going to have sex, but that'll come after they get together, which isn't in the close future, unfortunately.

And since I'm a copy/paste whore, I haven't forgotten this.

"blah" Regular speech

/blah/ Fwella speech.

"blah" Mermaid speech.

None of what I try to use to separate works!! (Cries) (----) Will now be my lame separator.

Freesia op.2 by Aloh Dark

Marianna came bounding out of the girls dorm and towards the only person she was comfortable with. "Draco! I can't believe I'm actually here!" She said with a grin.

"As you kept saying all last night." Draco put the book back where he took it from and stood up. Goyle and Crabbe followed his lead. Draco bowed to her and gave her his arm. "Shall we dine?"

She giggled and took his arm. "We shall."

Marianna chattered on endlessly as they walked to the Great Hall for breakfast. She earned a glare from Pansy when she sat down next to Draco. Marianna noticed this glare and had to play it up.

"Draco, darling, who is that," She paused a moment and flashed her eyes at Pansy. "Girl. Sitting down there?"

Draco looked and groaned inwardly. "Marianna stop being an idiot. You know Pansy. And if she falls for you pathetic attempts to make her hate you, she's more of an idiot than Longbottom."

Pansy huffed and walked away from them to the Ravenclaw table. Marianna tutted. "I think you made her mad."

Draco rolled his eyes and began to eat. Marianna looked slightly hurt but that was quickly changed as the mail flew in. Both Draco and Marianna received beautiful owls with elegant letters. Marianna read hers before she unwrapped the package that had come with it. Draco set aside the letter with his father's scrawl, not wanting to know what it said.

"Does mail come like this every day?" Marianna asked excitedly.

"Yes. Every morning the owls come in with mail." Draco told her.

"That's not the way they had it in my old school." She said excitedly. "Back there we had enchanted butterflies." She directed this towards two other Slytherin girls that had joined Marianna in the house the night before.

"Enchanted butterflies?" One of the girls asked. She looked frighteningly similar to both Crabbe and Goyle. He looked at his friends and then back to the girl. That's when it clicked. The girl that was the link between the Goyle and Crabbe families. Although she did share resemblances, Draco reasoned, she was definitely a girl. He could tell that in a few years and the help of Marianna, she'd grow to be a beautiful in her own way. She's never be stunning, but she'd be beautiful.

Marianna grinned broadly. She loved being the center of attention, having been so her whole life. "Yes. Well, it was an all girls school, so naturally had millions of things like that all the time. But they were so beautiful. They'd change color at random but were always so very pretty."

Draco zoned out her conversation as he looked down at his new schedule. He'd have N.E.W.T potions every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning. N.E.W.T transfigurations every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. The rest of his classes were a jumble. He didn't really know what he wanted to do with the rest of his life, so he'd asked to be put in many classes. Draco didn't believe that you should have your life's plan figured out at age fifteen. After all, so many things changed the whole world in the most dramatic of ways all the time when you're fifteen. The instability of the mid-teenage years should never be the time when you decide what to do with life.

Draco suddenly had an idea. "I've forgotten something, I'll be right back." He said as he quickly got up from his seat. He all but ran from the Great Hall.

He got down to his dorm room and looked through his things for his orb box. He tapped his left ear three times and the Smile Empty Soul orb fell out of his skull. Draco had turned the music off long ago and forgotten he'd left it in his head. He changed the orb with his Alkaline Trio and put on 'Radio.' He stuffed the box into his bag and left, going straight to potions.

He was the first to arrive since breakfast wasn't even finished. Draco stood outside the door, waiting for Snape. When he arrived, he looked faintly surprised to see Draco.

"Well, Malfoy, what brings you to class early. You are usually late, after all." Snape said, letting them both into the classroom.

"You've known my father for a long time, right?" Draco asked, following Snape.

Draco dully noticed that Snape became tense at the conversation topic. "I have."

"Tell me what he was like before he became a Death Eater." Draco said.

Snape looked at him sadly. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that. It was only after he'd joined the ranks that he and I became acquainted, and only distantly then."

"But you've known mother for a longer time." Draco half stating and half asking for confirmation.

"Yes." Snape said, a small smile on his lips. "I've had the pleasure of knowing her for a very long time."

"Was she always like how she is now?" Draco asked.

"Draco, I'm not sure I know what you mean." Snape told him.

Draco looked into Snape's eyes, his own held a flat expression. "Uncle Sevi, you know exactly what I mean." He used his childhood nickname for Snape as a slight extra leverage. Having Snape for a godfather helped him on many occasions, this only being one of them.

"Draco." Snape said as a sigh. "No. Your mother wasn't always like how she is now."

"What was she like?" Draco asked softly, as if asking to be told a secret.

Snape sat at his desk, Draco sat on the desk. "You're going to hate me for telling you who reminds me of her."

"I could never hate you Uncle Sevi. You're my favorite godfather." Draco said.

"I'm your only godfather." Snape said with a snort.

Draco grinned cheekily. "Doesn't make you any less my favorite."  
Snape rolled his eyes. "Back to the original topic. Your mother was a mix of Weasley, Granger and you before she met your father."

"Weasley, Granger and me?" Draco asked, looking at Snape as if he was crazy.

"Alright, my reasoning behind that. Your mother was brilliant, always reading and was a know it all because of it. That's how Granger's like her. She would have been at the top of her class except she had a knack for getting herself into and out of trouble. Like Weasley." Snape told him with a faint smile at memories only he could see.

"And what about me? How was she like me?" Draco asked.

"She was forced to live a lie and hated every minute of it. She was fascinated by one of the things she was supposed to hate the most. She wanted more from life than what she was allowed." Snape said softly, staring deep into Draco's eyes. "That is how she was like you."

"And then she married my father." Draco whispered.

"That's right." Snape said. "Now, students will be arriving soon so get off my desk."

Draco jumped down and walked to a desk in the back. He set his things down and sat on a stool.

"Oh, and Draco?" Snape asked.

"Yes, sir?"

"In my N.E.W.T classes I assign seats. You'll be with Weasley." Snape said with a grin.

Draco groaned. "Please no. He's not good at potions! How'd he even make it into your N.E.W.T class?"

Snape grinned. "You'll have to figure that one out for yourself. Don't kill yourselves or anyone else this year, please. Dumbledore would have a fit and I don't feel like levitating dead bodies this year."

Draco grinned and nodded. "I'll try." He grinned to himself. Snape didn't know about their getting along now, so it was bound to be a major change for the teachers during their classes. Draco was looking forward to every mistrustful look.

Snape walked into the backroom, leaving Draco alone. Draco had nothing better to do so he finally opened his father's letter and read it. It was to the point, as his father always with in letters to his son. Demands to get the highest grades in the class. Demands to live up to the family name. Threats as to what would happen if he stepped out of line. And the last line telling him not to bother going home for vacations since he wouldn't be welcome at any of the estates. Draco crumpled the letter as a few students from Ravenclaw walked in. He shoved it to the bottom of his bag and waited for class to start.  
Ron, like usual, was one of the last to arrive. He looked around the room, Harry and Hermione had already sat together and there was no place left around them. He saw Draco sitting by himself with his right hand pressed against his ear. He was nodding his head and drawing.

Ron walked over, put his bag down and sat. He didn't say anything and neither did Draco. The whole class was watching them, waiting for a fight to begin. When one didn't happen before Snape began class, they were forced to look forward and concentrate.

Snape snidely insulted half the class, favored some and was indifferent to the rest. He commented on how he didn't want to take most of them for his N.E.W.T but was forced to. He told them that he didn't expect anyone but a few to be able to handle class this year. He then gave them the rest of the double period to complete a new potion.

"Stupid git." Ron muttered under his breath. "Giving us a new potion first day of term."

"It's a simple potion." Draco said, putting away his books.

"You call that simple?" Ron said, pointing at the board.

Draco looked up and read it over. "Comparatively, yes." Draco walked away for the ingredients before Ron had a chance to say anything.

When Draco returned with the ingredients, Ron had gotten everything else they'd need. Draco looked up at the board and lined the ingredients up in the order they were going to be used.

"Why'd you do that?" Ron asked.

"I put them in order so that it'd be easier to know which one come next." Draco said. "Now get to work so Snape doesn't take points away."

"Fine. Hand me that dandelion stem so I can cut it. You start adding the ingredients." Ron said, holding the knife.

"Sure you can handle cutting?" Draco asked.

"I've been cooking with my mum since I could see over the counter. I can cut a lot better than you." Ron said, taking the stem for himself.

"Remember to cut them into as equal sized pieces as possible." Draco said as set the cauldron, half-full of water, on a burner.

Ron rolled his eyes and turned to him exasperated. "I know what I'm doing." He said forcefully.

Draco bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from saying anything more and let Ron get to work. He was soon too busy adding the first four ingredients to worry much more.

Draco and Ron were one of the first to finish their potions. Ron was amazed that Draco's organization system had actually worked. Their potion was perfect. Or as perfect as the two students could make it. Ron looked over at his friends and saw an angry Hermione and a sheepish Harry. He knew that he'd know the full story by lunch.

Ron turned back to look at Draco, but he'd put his hand back to his ear and was drawing again. Ron leaned over to see the drawing. His jaw dropped, his eyes popped, he turned a brilliant shade of red and jerked back so quickly he fell out of his chair.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Weasley?" Snape asked from the front of the class.

"Oh, uh, er, no Sir." Ron stuttered, righting his chair.

"Then do not disturb my class again with your clumsiness or I will be forced to take points." Snape snapped.

"Yes sir. It won't happen again sir." Ron said. He knew that usually he would get angry but he was to shocked by what he saw to be angry. When he sat back down in his righted chair, he felt Draco's eyes on him. "What?" Ron hissed, blushing all over again.

"Find something shocking?" Draco asked, knowing why Ron had fallen.

"Why are you even drawing that?" Ron hissed.

"It's called the 'Rape of Justinian' and I'm drawing it because I have nothing better to do." Draco said. "Do you want to get a better look?"

"No." Ron said harshly. He was silent for all of one minute before curiosity overcame him. "Why'd you name it that?"

"Because Justinian is being raped." Draco said causally, drawing.

"Who's raping him?" Ron asked.

"The physical embodiment of his fantasy and guilt." Draco replied smoothly.

"You know that for a fact?" Ron asked.

"Yes. I made up the legend so I should know what's going on in the picture." Draco told him. "This isn't my first time drawing this out."

"But, um, you made them two men." Ron whispered.

"Oh, um, well yeah. I knew that." Draco replied in a sarcastic whisper.

"But that means that they're-"  
"Justinian is homosexual." Draco cut Ron off. "That's what he feels guilty over and the fact that he likes men it tearing at his soul. The physical embodiment of his lust, a man, and the guilt that's eating him, his wanting men, is raping him because he refusing to admit it, causing himself pain. Justinian feels dirty, disgusting and like he shouldn't be alive because of his sexuality."

Ron was silent a moment. "You know a lot about that legend."

Draco smirked. "Once again, I made it up." He turned back to his paper and put his hand to his ear.

Ron was about to say something more when Snape stood up.

"You all should be finished with your potions by now. I'm going around to grade. For you that aren't done, finish up so when I get to you you will be."

Snape began his round of the sizzling cauldrons. He moved from cauldron to cauldron at random, keeping everyone on their toes. He took malicious delight in taking points from Harry and Hermione's for it not being right. He nearly put a Ravenclaw girl in tears with his assessment of her potion. Ron watched as he kept looking slyly at him and Draco, but didn't walk over until they were the only ones left.

Draco quickly rolled his parchment up and put it in his bag. Snape didn't say a word, though everyone know if it had been someone else they'd have points taken away.

"Well, well, well. Let's see how Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Weasley did." Snape said, pulling out a thin, long dropper. Snape used the dropped to gather a small amount of potion from the mixture. He pulled a fresh strip of testing paper from his robes and forced out three droplets. One contact, there was a small explosion with a metallic purple mushroom cloud. Snape dropped the paper on the desk and looked at the two.

"I'm not surprised." He sneered. "Ten points to each your houses for a perfect potion. Though I should only make it five since this is something a nine year old could make."

"Yes sir." Draco said with a smirk.

"Clean up and leave. Each of you will write a paper on why your potion wasn't perfect. Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Weasley, you two are exempt." Snape stopped at the front of the class and suddenly whirled at them. "And I hope you liked your seats. They're your permanent seats for the rest of the year."

"I can't believe that was perfect." Ron muttered as he packed up his bag. Draco had just reached the desk after he put away the unused ingredients.

"Well, that potion can be done by a nine year old, like Snape said." Draco said, rolling his eyes.

"Not possible. It was wicked hard. If I'd done it on my own, I'd be writing an essay just like everyone else." Ron said.

"Then I guess it's a good thing I've been doing this potion since I was eight." Draco said with a grin.

Ron stood up and looked at him, unaware of all the people watching them talk. "You've been making that potion since you were eight?" Ron asked. "You're lying."

Draco hefted his bag onto his shoulder. "I didn't perfect it until I was nine, but yes, I've been making it since I was eight."

"No way." Ron said. "If he's teaching it to us now, there's no way."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Just because he doesn't teach it to his class until N.E.W.Ts doesn't mean you can't learn it until then. Trust me, there's a great many more complicated potions I can brew. Most by heart. Now, if you'll excuse me I have better things to do than stand around with you." Draco said as he pushed past Ron and left the classroom.

TBC

Thanks to!!!

Red-Chan!!! Thank you!! Ah!! Yes I know!! Such a lack of slash that it makes me sad!! But!! Plot, there is a plot and sadly, the plot includes the boys acting like dumb like boys!! But I promise something is coming!! So, please, please just wait patiently for the plot to catch up to when it's supposed to happen!

Meirta!! Thank you very much!! Hehe, and yeah, the orb in Draco's head is freaky, but it's kinda cool, too. ..In my opinion at least. Heh, I've never seen Wrath of Khan but I'm sure that that in the ear would give me the uckies. I hope you had a happy holiday and New Year too!! Hehe, hexing Pansy.. Maybe. (evil thoughts)

Faint Hate!! I ever tell you how much I like your name? I dunno why, but I do. It's nice. And yes, our poor Draco is angsty and confused. He deserves all the hugs he gets.

I Heart DM 11!!!! (hugs back) YAY!! Cookie!! (takes) Thank you so much!! Sorry so long between updates, but.. Promise not so long next time!! (I always say that but let's hope I mean it!!) XOXO!!

Yuuri Asakura!!! Heya!! Thank you very much! Really? No mistakes that chapter!! Heh, too bad there were plenty this chapter! Heh, I got 'Hawthorne' from a romance novel I read back in middle school. The name just stuck with me. And I don't know how they'll turn out yet. Or maybe I do and I just want y'all to wait and suffer. Choices, choices!

Key!! Thank you so much!! I was hoping to add some depth to this story, I'm glad to hear that I've done so! I really wanted to show Draco for Draco and try very hard to keep him Draco but also show him as my Draco, you know? Or did I make no sense at all in that last sentence? Oh!! Just wait a little and (spoiler) you'll see some Ron POV!! Although I feel he's very different from 'Ron' because I just can't seem to capture him. I'll try, though!

010001100110100101101110 0011000100110000 (that's for Brad)


	11. Eleventh Chapter

Sorry this is late guys. It's been rough until, about, last Thursday. And my writers block is insane. So, next chapter will be even later. I'm so very sorry. I'm working through it but this chapter is crap and the next will likely to be so, also.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything related to Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Goddess J.K.Rowling. Freesia op.2 belongs to my beloved Gackt-san. Aburey does belongs to me. Please don't steal him or he'll put up the kind of fight you won't like.

Warning: OOC!Draco. Will be Draco/Ron slash. A bit of naughty Draco towards the end of this chapter. Not too bad. Maybe you'll blush, but probably not.

And since I'm a copy/paste whore, I haven't forgotten this.

"blah" Regular speech

/blah/ Fwella speech.

"blah" Mermaid speech.

None of what I try to use to separate works! (Cries) (-) Will now be my lame separator.

Freesia op.2 by Aloh Dark

The rest of Draco's day brought him a massive head ache. He didn't feel up to dealing with the school during dinner so he snuck down to the kitchens and got food there. He brought his food with him outside the school. He walked over to the Quidditch Pitch and climbed the Hufflepuff tiers. He walked to the very top before dropping down.

He rested his back and head against the wall and closed his eyes. His hands fumbled slightly as he pulled out the food and drink blindly, but he managed to set them down next to him without much incident. He wasn't feeling hungry any more, though, so the food just sat there neglected.

He didn't realize he'd fallen asleep until a gentle hand was on his shoulders, shaking him slightly. Draco's eyes fluttered before they finally opened and stared into the blue depths above him. Draco had the sudden mental feeling of willingly drowning.

"You alive?" Ron asked softly.

Draco suddenly realized how dark it was and how cold he'd become. "No. Go away."

Ron sighed and removed his hands from Draco's shoulders. Draco shivered as cool air hit where Ron's warm hands had been. Ron stood next to the sitting Draco in silence, staring at Draco.

"You seem pretty alive to me." Ron said after long moments.

"So? I could be dead. You never really know, you know." Draco said, leaning back against the wall again. When he'd sat up straight, he didn't know.

"No, you're alive." Ron said, looking away from Draco and at the sky.

Draco stared at Ron's profile for a long moment. "If you say so."

"So," Ron said after the silence had become too long for him. "Did your father make you learn all those potions growing up?"

Draco cracked his neck. "Yes and no."  
"How's that?" Ron asked, looking back at Draco.

"He arranged for me to learn some of them. I studied up on the rest." Draco said. "Thousands of books at the Manor. Nothing to do most of the time so I read them."

"Sounds lonely." Ron muttered, thinking of his own childhood.

Draco straightened and looked offended. "It wasn't." He lied. "I love to read and learn."

"So why aren't your grades better than Hermione's?" Ron asked.

Draco glared. "That isn't any of your business." Draco suddenly longed for the closed vial in his pocket but didn't dare reach for it.

Ron stared at him silently for another long moment. He was making Draco very uncomfortable with his long silences. "You're very tense today." He observed.

"Point? It's the first day back, anyone would be tense." Draco said.

"I'm not." Ron said. "Only you."

"It's only you and I here." Draco pointed out.

"And you're amazingly tense for it only being the first day." Ron pointed out.

Draco dug his fingers into his pockets, his right hand closing around the unbreakable vial. "I hate being here and I hate my classes."

"That doesn't mean you have to be this tense." Ron said. "Look, you're practically shaking because I'm making you face your tenseness."

"I'm practically shaking because I'm cold." Draco said, it only being a half truth.

Ron slipped out of his cloak and gave it to Draco. Draco was about to protest but stopped at the look in Ron eyes. He muttered a thanks as he slipped the cloak on. The lingering heat from Ron's body warmed his own body.

"Now, do you want to tell me why today's bitten you on the arse?" Ron asked.

Draco sighed. "No. I want to look at the stars with," He paused looking over Ron. "With a friend."

Draco saw the way Ron's eyes lit up at his statement and a small smile spread over his lips. Draco's own lips responded with a small smile. In the comfortable silence that fell between them they stared at the stars.

It didn't last long though since Ron was a creature of noise. He didn't feel comfortable in complete silence after growing up in a house with Fred and George Weasley. He broke the silence between them with a whispered question. "Truth or dare?"

Draco looked over at the red head confused. "What?" He asked just as softly.

"Truth or dare?" Ron asked again. "You do know that game, don't you?"

"Is it the game where if I choose truth I have to honestly answer one of your questions and if I take a dare I have to do something you want me to." Draco said.

"Yeah. Truth or dare?"

Draco sighed. "I've no wish to move. Truth."

"Why do you hate being at Hogwarts?" Ron asked without skipping a second.

Draco sighed again. "You have to ask that? Couldn't you ask something inane like how many girls I've shagged or something?"

"You're avoiding the question." Ron said.

"Fine, fine." Draco said. "I hate this school because I have to pretend to be someone I'm not. Because I can't be who I want to be without fear of mass hatred. Because I have a reputation that makes me sick. Because this is the place where I made a complete fool of myself here and the memories of that idiocy are everywhere."

Ron was silent at the bitter tone in Draco's voice. Draco wasn't looking at him but was looking straight ahead. Ron cleared his throat uncomfortable. "I choose truth."

Draco was silent for another moment. "How does it feel to be living a life in the shadows of everyone else and not living up to them?" He asked, intentionally trying to hurt him.

Ron was quiet for so long that Draco became worried and was about to take back what he said and maybe apologize. Ron spoke before he could and shocked Draco.

"It feels like hell most of the time." Ron said. "At home I'm just the last of the Weasley boys, not even the last of the Weasley's. I'm not funny like the twins, I'm not a girl like Ginny, I'm not smart like Percy, I'm not cool like Bill and I'm not talented like Charlie. I'm just the last of the boys and another Weasley." His voice was soft.

"At school I'm in other people's shadows too. I'm the best friend and side kick of the Harry Potter, world saver extraordinaire. It's always his drama and his problems and his achievements and his talents and it's always all about him." Ron had gotten enthusiastic by that point. He was gesturing with his hands and talking loudly, staring deep into Draco's eyes. "And then there's Hermione who's always good at everything! Gets all her homework done the day it's assigned. Best in the year. Prefect to the extreme. She's going to be Head Girl seventh year, I swear it. She's a snitch and thinks she's better than everyone else. She's always ragging on me because I don't do as well as her. She even got bloody Viktor Krum as a date." Ron said bitterly. "Everyone expects me to suddenly be like my brothers all the sudden too. Be like Percy and get good grades. Or suddenly be as funny as the twins. I can't be my brothers! I don't want to be like them! I'm me and no one seems to like that fact."

Silence reigned between the two as Ron breathed heavily after his tirade. Draco found his heart pumping three times its normal speed as he stared into Ron's eyes.

"I don't even like me." Ron said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"I like you for you." Draco said softly. He was suddenly aware of how little space there was between them but didn't care.

Ron stared silently at him for a moment. His eyes were over bright and open for all to see what he was feeling. Something flickered in them and they were shuddered close. Ron stood up and turned his back on Draco.

"Thanks." He said softly before he walked down the stairs of the tier.

Draco watched him go in confusion. He sat by himself for a long time after Ron left, thinking of nothing. When he finally decided to head inside, he was cold all the way through even with Ron's cloak.

(-)

Draco walked into his dorm feeling guilty. He knew what was going on in his head and he didn't want it to happen. It wasn't allowed to happen. But it was and he couldn't stop it now that it had started.

Draco stripped at his bedside and didn't bother putting clothes on. He knew that it was too dark for anyone to see him even if anyone was awake, which no one was. He walked over to his trunk in his naked state.

He unlatched the hidden catch and opened up a smaller lid in the lid. He pulled out the bottle Aburey had given him. He uncapped it and took a few swallows. The liquid burned his mouth but froze his throat. A numb, calmness settled over him a little after the liquid hit his stomach. He recapped the bottle, put it back in its hiding place and reconciled the lid.

He walked to his bedside and collapsed onto it. He pulled his legs into his chest as the sedative took effect. With the amount he kept in the vial he'd just be calmed, but the amount he'd just drank he was going to be put asleep quickly. That was especially true since he hadn't eaten since lunch. He laid on top of his cover naked, his arms holding himself and his legs pulled to his chest as the drugged sleep shut the world out.

His mind stopped functioning as he fell into a deep sleep.

(-)

Draco slowly awoke with a groan. He pushed his hips deeper into his bed and groaned again. He moved his hips faster and with more force until, with a moan, he climaxed. He slowly came to his senses, reliving his dream. His eyes went wide and he forced himself onto his elbows. He rolled over and sat up. He put his head in his hands with a miserable groan. He's just had a wet dream about Ron.

Draco cursed himself for being twenty times a fool and pulled on the extra pair of boxers he always kept beneath his pillow for when things like that happened. He opened his bed hangings and looked out into the dorm. No one else was around, for which he was thankful. The clock next to his bed claimed it to be just a little after when his dorm mates normally woke up.

He got out of bed and itched his left shoulder blade as he looked at the evidence of him losing his mind. He quickly flipped the sheets over. He grabbed everything he'd need for his morning cleaning and walked to the bathroom. Blaise was standing at the large mirror shaving. He looked over at Draco when he walked in.

"Don't you prefects get to use a special bathroom?" Blaise asked.

"Don't feel like walking all the way there." Draco muttered as he walked into a shower stall.

"Is something up Draco?" Blaise asked as Draco put his boxers on top of his towel. He turned the water on.

"Why would you think something's up?" Draco asked, stepping beneath the burning water.

"Well, I was up late and you came in after I fell asleep and you slept in a lot later than you usually do." Blaise said, leaning against the wall that divided the stall Draco was in from the stall next to it. "Those are two things you don't usually do. Just wondering if everything's okay."

Draco sighed but wasn't heard over the running water. "Ever want something you just knew you could never have?"

"What's her name?" Blaise asked after a moment.

Draco smiled at the assumption of the gender. "Veronica. And I'm not telling you anything more than that."

"Well, I know you're lying about the name but I'll let it slip." Blaise said with a small laugh. "So, why can't you have her? She have a boyfriend?"  
"No." Draco said. "No boyfriend."

"Girlfriend then?" Blaise ask with a laugh. "You crushing on a lesbian?"

"No. No girlfriend either. Think they're straight at least." Draco said.

"Well then, what's the problem?" Blaise asked.

"Father." Draco said. "Society. Houses. Financial status. Take your pick of the four."

Blaise sucked in air through his teeth. "Wow, that's a lot to go against you." He said.

"I know." Draco mutter back, shampooing his hair. "Trust me, I know."

"Well, does she like you back?" Blaise asked.

"As a friend." Draco said. "I don't think she likes me as anything more."

"Well, if she only likes you as a friend, don't ruin the friendship by saying or doing anything." Blaise said. "But do you like her?"  
"I think I'm falling for her." Draco said.

"You only think you are?" Blaise asked. "Figure your own feelings out before you worry about hers. If it turns out you like her and she likes you, go for it. Does anything but love really matter? Love's love. Screw your father if he doesn't approve."

Draco nodded as he washed the shampoo from his hair. "You're right Blaise. Thanks a lot. You really are right."

"No problem. I'm just the advice machine." Blaise said.

"Whatever." Draco said. He finished up with his shower, knowing that he had a lot of thinking he had to do. He was glad he had a free period that morning before Care of Magical Creatures.

Draco walked with Blaise down to the Great Hall for breakfast after collecting their things. Goyle and Crabbe were already seated and eating eggs. Marianna was talking with her new friends and looked all of the leader of the group which she undoubtedly was. Blaise and Draco joked the morning meal away and when it came time for them to separate, Draco was in a much better mood.

He grabbed some toast and made his way outside. He grinned to himself as he realized his feet had led him to the Hufflepuff tiers once again. He resigned to fate and walked to the very top. He sat down and began to nibble on his pilfered toast. He looked at the space around him as he thought.

One thing he knew for sure was that he was gay. That he hadn't doubted since he'd figured it out back in third year and accepted it during the summer between fourth and fifth year. So that was one hurdle he'd already jumped and didn't bare any more thinking about. So he thought instead about what was going on between him and Ron.

He admitted to himself readily that Ron was attractive. There was no doubt that he found Ron sexually attractive for a while but he found a lot of guys at school attractive so he'd never really thought a lot about it. But then the past summer had happened and yesterday too had changed everything.

Ronald Weasley was more than just Harry Potter's side kick, Hermione Granger's friend and another Weasley. He was more than that now, and that was scaring Draco. He'd become a friend that Draco very much wanted to have. Draco also found himself feeling what he thought were more than friendly feelings. He doubted himself though, claiming that he'd never really had a friend like Ron so he didn't have anything to compare with.

His mind argued that his feelings for Ron would only stay elevated for a little while. Soon he'd get off the high of making a new, very close friend. He'd realize that Ron was just that, a friend. His heart wasn't so sure about that though, and squeezed itself to disagree. Besides, he didn't even know how Ron still felt after what happened yesterday. He didn't even know what had really taken place in the small amount of time between Ron's rant and Ron's leaving.

Draco glared up at the sky. "That's why I hate this place." He told the clouds. "Nothing's clear here and I'm always doubting myself. I think too much when I'm here and there's never anyone to hash things out with." He sighed and looked down after he closed his eyes. "Why can't you be here Fwella? I need you more than ever."

Draco opened his eyes and pulled his bag to him. He pulled out the box of orbs he rarely was without anymore and searched through them. He pulled out a crystal clear orb and let it hang in the air. He set the box down next to him and leaned back.

"Modern rock, punk and alternative. Ignore any results from within five feet." He told the orb. That particular orb didn't have any music programmed into it but was designed to search for songs on cd's, radio waves, and other orbs within a two thousand mile radius. It had cost him a few galleons of his Christmas money.

Draco spent the next five minutes shifting through thousands of songs. He began to listen to some before changing the song and looking through the rest. Eventually he found a song he wanted. Give It Up by Midtown. He'd never heard of that group before but he liked the song. He set the search on pause and the song on repeat.

Draco's fingers itched for a cigarette. It was a nasty habit he'd picked up from when he was trying to quit the potion Aburey gave him. It lasted a good half year in which he picked up smoking. The good thing about magical smokes was that they had all the addiction and nearly none of the toxins. There were still a few toxins but most were gone so they were a lot healthier than anything a muggle would ever wrap their lips around. He'd gave into the lull of the potion, though, and still occasionally smoked when he didn't have any potion left. Smoking didn't give him any of the numbing effect but it did calm him down.

Draco thought a lot more on the subject of wanting Ron. He enjoyed their friendship, no matter how weird and short it's been. In the short time they'd been friends, they'd become really close. Draco needed that. He had his Slytherin friends but he just needed the difference of Ron.

By the time Care of Magical Creatures was due to start, Draco wasn't any more settled on his feelings but he felt a lot better about them. He didn't know if he liked Ron as more than a friend or just as a friend but he felt confident that everything would smooth out.

He walked by himself to the class and walked over to Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle.

Thanks to!

Faint Hate! I do like your name, and that's an interesting way to make on up. Thanks for the review! I'm glad that my Draco is actually acting like a real person! He's fun to write but I'm always afraid I'm not making him real. And that's not sad at all.

Red-Chan! Ah! hands over boxes of tissues Don't cry! I'm sorry! huggles

I Heart DM 11! Thank you! And my Snape's are never bad. I like the whole "I'm just misunderstood and enjoy tormenting my students" Snape. Ah sigh young gay love. So cute!

Yuuri Asakura! YAY! Very little mistakes in the last one. Can promise you, though, that there were a ton in this one. Lol, you can choose if you suffer or not! Lol, and no, the isn't under any periods. But it was fun trying to figure out what that meant.

Meirta! Yes, my chapters are getting shorter, I believe. You've learned a bit more about it, but that's not all. There's a little bit more to it. And sorry but no Fwella yet. Ah! Can I still have the cookies when she does show up? And yes, Narcissa will show up again. But not for a bit. Can't at school. Ah, thank you! I like creating original characters in my head so they're pretty developed when I finally have time to use them.


	12. Twelfth Chapter

Early, can you believe it? Two days early to be exact! I finished writing this last night and, by the way, this is the third version of this chapter. Changed it around just last night. I stole bits from the previous versions so it may seem a bit choppy.

Now, this weekend-Weight-a-rama. Next weekend-Nationals baby!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything related to Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Goddess J.K.Rowling. Freesia op.2 belongs to my beloved Gackt-san. Aburey and Fwella do belong to me. Please don't steal them or I'll cry and most probably hurt you.

Warning: OOC!Draco. Will be Draco/Ron slash.

And since I'm a copy/paste whore, I haven't forgotten this.

"blah" Regular speech

/blah/ Fwella speech.

"blah" Mermaid speech.

None of what I try to use to separate works! (Cries) (-) Will now be my lame separator.

Oh, and this hasn't been reread in anyway, so, please point out my mistakes. I may just fight off the lazy and fix it up then.

Freesia op.2 by Aloh Dark

"Where were you?" Blaise asked as Draco stood next to him.

"Remember what we talked about this morning?" Draco asked.

"Yeah."

"I thought more about it. I just needed the time to think."  
"And what'd you come up with?" Blaise asked.

"That I am really confused about everything." Draco said.

Blaise smirked and leaned closer to Draco. "Someone's watching you."

"Who?" Draco asked, looking around.

"Weasel. He keeps shooting glances our way." Blaise said.

Draco smirked. "Give me a sec to give him something to think about. Crabbe, Goyle. Come." The two followed Draco as he made his way over to the trio of Gryffindors.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Harry asked.

Draco smirked at him. "Excuse me while I take Weasley. He and I need to discuss something."

"What do you want Malfoy?" Ron asked calmly.

"A word. In private." Draco said with a devious grin.

"Right now?" Ron asked, avoiding Harry and Hermione's eyes.

"Yes. Right now." Draco said. "Stay and keep them company." He said to Crabbe and Goyle.

Draco walked off a little ways away from the groups of students and knew that Ron would follow him without having to turn around. When they were out of ear shot Draco stopped.

"Draco, what is it?" Ron asked softly.

"Are you still upset about yesterday?" Draco said just as softly. His face was still in a sneer but his eyes shown his sincerity.

Ron blushed. "No, it's okay. I needed to tell someone that before I exploded at Harry and Hermione."

"Yes, wouldn't want to upset them, now would we?" Draco said bitterly.

"Draco." Ron said flatly.

"I don't like them and I'm not hiding that fact." Draco said. "Oh, and I still have your coat."

"I was wondering what happened to it." Ron said.

"Now we just have to figure out how to get it back to you." Draco said before walking back to Crabbe and Goyle.

Ron stood still for a moment before following Draco. He walked back to his spot between Harry and Hermione, still avoiding their gazes. He watched Draco walk away with his cronies. He was surprised when Draco suddenly turned and walked back up to him.

Draco stood on tip-toe and whispered loudly into his ear. "I told you the truth last night before you left." He turned and walked back to his spot next to Blaise.

"What'd you say?" Blaise asked with a grin. Draco had his own satisfied grin on his face.

Harry and Hermione were angrily asking Ron what was going on and the red head was blushing and avoiding answering the questions.

Draco laughed to himself. "Nothing that you need to know." Ron gave him an angry, accusing look before turning back to Harry and Hermione. "But he's definitely has something to keep his mind busy now."

"Malfoy!" Hagrid called out as he walked towards his waiting students. "A word after class."

"Yes sir." Draco said, knowing what Hagrid wanted to talk about.

Class went by uneventfully. Hagrid decided that instead of starting a new creature, they'd just review past creatures and creatures they'd be going over. It wasn't a very interesting class since they weren't actually doing anything.

"Right, and next week we're having a guest. A beauty named Fwella will be coming to talk to all my classes. Think you'll like her. Pegasus' are always interesting to talk with." Hagrid said just as the dismissal bell rang.

Ron went straight to Draco. "So that's why she'll be here."

"Why else would she come? Pets that big aren't allowed." Draco said.

"You could've just told me the truth." Ron said.

"And where would the fun in that be?" Draco asked before walking over to Hagrid.

(-)

"Alright Ronald Weasley, you tell us what's going on right now!" Hermione said fiercely after she pushed Ron into an abandoned class room.

Harry closed the door behind them. "What's going on Ron?" He asked. "First the incident on the Platform, now this. What's going on with you and Malfoy?"  
Ron walked over to the windows. "Nothing. Nothing's going on between us."

"Nothing? First your nice to each other on the platform and he even gave you something!" Harry yelled. "Now you're going off alone together to talk! What's going on?"

"First off, the gift was from Fwella not him." Ron said, looking at them. "She's real nice. Funny too. You'll love her when she comes."

"Don't change the subject." Hermione snapped. "How is it that both you and Malfoy know her?"

Ron fought his blush but it dusted his cheeks. "She's his."  
"What! Your getting gifts from something that belongs to Malfoy!" Harry asked. "And you're keeping them!"

"What!" Ron demanded. "She wouldn't do anything to hurt me! She's not like that!"

"But what about Malfoy? That evil bastard would do anything to get at us!" Harry yelled.

"Ron, he's done nothing more than make our lives miserable from day one." Hermione told him.

Ron turned bright red with anger he fought to keep down at a manageable level. As soon as he opened his mouth he knew he'd lost the fight. "You ever think that maybe he doesn't want to be who he is? You ever stop a minute and drag your heads out of arse and think about what might make someone else tick? You don't what lengths Draco goes through to just be himself sometimes!"

Harry and Hermione stared at the heavily breathing red head dumbfounded. It took them a few moments to comprehend what their friend had just yelled at them. Even after that they were still sure that they hadn't heard right.

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked. "It's Malfoy. Son of a Death Eater that tried to kill us!" He yelled.

"You called him Draco." Hermione muttered. "You called him Draco!" She accused.

Ron turned his head away. "So? He's really nothing like a Malfoy should be. He's not like his father at all." He said quietly.

"How would you know?" Harry asked.

Ron shrugged, a small smile on his face as he thought of all the time they spent together. "I just do."

"What happened over the summer, Ron?" Hermione asked.

Ron looked at her, his face blank. "I won't tell you. Just like he won't tell." He said softly. "We've got class. We're going to be late." With that, he left the room.

"Ron! This conversation isn't over!" Hermione yelled as she followed him out.

Ron turned but kept walking. "Yes it Hermione. Because you won't get me to tell anything. I've already said to much as it is."

"What in bloody hell is wrong with you?" Harry yelled as he ran after his friend. "You've been acting weird all summer! What's wrong with you?" He put his hand on Ron's shoulder.

Ron shrugged it off violently. "Harry. Just, please. I don't know and I really don't care right now. It feels right and that's all I can say." He near whispered. "Now let's get to class."

Harry exchanged a look with Hermione before following the red head.

(-)

Draco looked around him making sure no one was around. He carefully walked up to the lakes edge, his shoes and robe on the ground and his pants rolled up as far as they would go. He walked into the cool water as far as he dared before stopping. He stuck his wand tip into the water, stirring it in a counter clockwise motion three times before muttering a spell.

The water glowed orange for a moment before it became still and glassy. He tapped it three times while saying another spell. Once he was done the glassy circle rose into the air and followed him back to shore. He sat down on a rock and looked into the water window before him.

"Grygru." Draco said into it. "Grygru! I know you're around, so answer me." He waited a moment and a grinning face appeared in the water.

Draco said into it. He waited a moment and a grinning face appeared in the water.

"My love! I never thought I'd see you this soon! You're usually gone a week or more before you call me." Grygru said cheerfully. He looked around. "I see you thankfully don't have that ugly red head with you." 

"No, I'm alone. We can't be seen in public together. We're supposed to hate each other." Draco explained. "How are things back there?" 

"Wait, why do you hate each other?" Grygru asked.

Grygru said cheerfully. He looked around. Draco explained. Grygru asked.

"Well, the most recent reason would have to be my father tried to kill him at the end of last year. Other than that, I've made his life a living hell because of my father." Draco told him.

"Oh, so he's that boy." Grygru said in accented English. "I don't like red hair. Now blond, better."

Draco laughed. "That's only because you want me."

Grygru smiled. "I like your tan lines."

Draco laughed loudly at Grygru's wink. "I don't have tan lines."

"I'd find some." Grygru told him with a nod.

Draco mocked rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I need to know how Fwella's doing and how things at the house are." 

"Fwella is at the island every day. She misses you, like always. I have heard nothing about things at the house. I suppose that is a good thing."

"I'd think so. Thanks. Now, weren't you chasing some tail last time we swam together?" Draco said.

"Draco, what are you doing?" Blaise's voice cut through the air.

Draco jumped slightly and turned to his house mate. "Talking to a friend. Would you like to meet him?"

"Uh, sure." Blaise said, walking over to the rock. He sat next to Draco and looked at the merman in shock. "Hello."

Grygru smiled. "Hello pretty one. May I do naughty things with you while the stars are out?"

Draco's face fell before he started to laugh. "Grygru says 'hello pretty one. May I do naughty things with you while the stars are out?'"

Blaise looked between the merman and his friend. "Maybe later." He said to the merman.

"Draco was not supposed to translate that." Grygru said, looking uncomfortable.

"Serves you right for always saying things like that!" Draco told him.

"Go swim with a grindylow." Grygru told him.

"Um, how do you two know each other?" Blaise asked.

"I live in the lake that separates the Weasley and Malfoy lands." Grygru told him. "Draco has been swimming with me for as long as we both can remember."

"Really, I didn't know the Weasley's had land next to your family." Blaise said to Draco.

He shrugged. "Neither did I until a few years ago."

"Nice meeting you." Blaise said to Grygru before getting off the rock. "Draco, lunch is almost done."

Draco nodded. "Okay, see you in ancient runes." Blaise waved his hand as he walked away. "Sorry Grygru, I have to go." Draco said to him.  
"That's okay. You're always running out on me. I'm used to it by now." Grygru told him. "Besides, there is some tail I've been chasing and I have to get back to that."

"You behave!" Draco told him.

Grygru winked. "I will if you do!"

Draco laughed and stepped away. He reached his arm out and ran his hand through the water. It lost its solidity and crashed to the rock. Some of Draco's shirt was splashed but he was otherwise dry. He walked over to his shoes and robe. He stared out over the water for a moment before sitting down. He put his shoes on and rolled down his pants. He didn't bother putting on his robe as he walked back to school.

He soon found himself going past leaving students to walk over to his still eating friends. Pansy gave him a glare for no apparent reason, which he just rolled off his back. She wasn't a concern of his anymore, after all. He had other things, other people, to think about.

He shared greeting with his friends as he sat down to eat. No appetite was with him, though, so he was only nibbling on most of the foods on his plate. Soon enough, he wasn't even doing that and turned his attention to observing his housemates.

He let his eyes wander from his housemates and across the hall. His eyes caught, as they had taken a tendency to do recently, on fiery red hair. Though, after a second's appraisal, it wasn't the red head he'd been looking for. So, his eyes shifted again until they reached the boy they wanted.

Ron wasn't sitting with either Harry or Hermione, Draco noted. They seemed to be sitting by themselves giving both Ron, and him conspiring looks, with Harry's less-than-impressive glare. Ron seemed upset and wasn't eating or talking much to the boys around him.

Draco frowned a little in puzzlement before shaking it off. It wasn't any of his business anyway, and he was sure to hear about it next time he and Ron were alone. He instead turned to Goyle with a disgusted look.

"For Merlin's sake, close your mouth!" He snapped. "You eat like a pig!"

Goyle just grunted in response before doing as Draco said. He was too used to Draco's random outburst like that and adjusted himself to whatever it was about at the moment.

Blaise gave Draco a cocky grin. "You could do with some red meat. Too much of that salad and you'll turn even more into a girl. Or a rabbit. Either way, it'll be funny." He leaned in towards Draco. "Or are you fussing over your weight again?"

Draco glared at him. "Shut it Zabini."

Blaise just smiled. "Want another carrot?"

Draco gave his a dumbfounded look. "What the bloody fuck? Seriously, what the bloody fuck?" Blaise just laughed. Draco shook his head. "Why do I even bother?"

Blaise smiled and bit into an apple. "Why, because you love me, of course!" Draco grinned, but threw a pickle at him anyway.

Ron sighed, mechanically feeding himself. He knew that the guys around him were worried about him, but he couldn't help it. He'd almost blown it, after all. Everything he and Draco had started to build together and he really didn't want that to happen.

He smiled softly at the thought of the arrogant blond. He could be so sarcastic but he was truly, a wonderful person. He was nice, in his own way. He'd been learning so many things about Draco that he'd never even could've imagined were slightly possible at the end of just the last school year.

Draco was different from Malfoy. They were two completely different people living in one small, beautiful body. A very nice body at that. Soft and hard in all the right places. Ron never thought it could hold so many contradictions and still be one. But what really got him was how nice Draco's ass was.

The boys surrounding Ron looked at him, shocked. He'd dropped his cup right out of his hands and was currently choking on the pumpkin juice he'd just sipped from it. After he was able to breath again, he looked at the faces around him.

He did not just think all that about Draco. …Did he?

To Be Continued

Thanks To!

I Heart DM 11! Lol, yeah, isn't Draco's confusion adorable? And I love to play truth or dare with my friends for no reason, though we tend to make it perverted. I hoep this chapter was cute too. I'll contact you if I need any help!

Faint Hate! Yes, yes you may hug Draco. You may do all you want to him, as long as he doesn't remember a thing about it when he gets back to me. And thank you for telling me the TorD part was awesome. You are awesome.

Meirta! Yay! Cookie soon! (winkwinkspoiler) The potion is a sedative and more! You'll eventually find out. Oh thank you for telling me it wasn't crap. I tend to be so harsh on my stuff. Lol, trust me, if my cell phone didn't have a calendar alarm thingy in it, I probably would forget about chapters. …that's a lie, by the way.

Siren713! YAY! I love getting new reviewers! Thanks so much for reading! I hope that you enjoy the rest of this storymore thanyou've enjoyed it so far!


	13. Thirteenth Chapter

So, it's been all of outdoor track season since my last update. Well, nearly all. The 18th I go out for Nationals, which, is what I was going for last update. hangs head in shame So long between updates. And.. Sorry.

This chapter is dedicated to two people. To meirta for getting me off my lazy ass and having me write out this short, five pages, chapter. And to anonymous for giving me a review I found just at the perfect time between getting home and going to practice. This chapter wouldn't be up if not for them.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything related to Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Goddess J.K.Rowling. Freesia op.2 belongs to my beloved Gackt-san. Aburey and Fwella do belong to me. Please don't steal them or I'll cry and most probably hurt you.

Warning: OOC!Draco. Will be Draco/Ron slash.

And since I'm a copy/paste whore, I haven't forgotten this.

"blah" Regular speech

__

/blah/ Fwella speech.

"blah" Mermaid speech.

None of what I try to use to separate works! (Cries) (-) Will now be my lame separator.

The next two weeks were as hectic for Ron as they were for Draco. Homework and Prefect duties had kept them busy with more than they were willing to deal with by the second weeks end. To top it off, the new Head Boy and Girl had decided that it'd be amusing for them to pair Draco and Ron together for corridor duties on Saturday night.

All through the meeting before their duties were to begin, they bickered and fought though not nearly as much as they had the year before. Though the other prefects found it to be annoying, Ron and Draco both found their insults to be very amusing. After all, they'd spent two weeks figuring out secret meanings for each insult, most of which were incredibly random and insane. Thinking of the true meaning of the insults kept them for barely keeping straight faces as they taunted back and forth.

Finally the meeting ended and the rest of the prefects went to bed, save two. Draco and Ron stood waiting in the small room until the rest had been long gone. Only then did they dare to drop the act.

"So, ready for the next few hours?" Draco asked. "I know I just can't help but look forward to the end when I can stop looking at your ugly face."

Ron accepted the jibe. "Oh trust me, you can't be looking forward to that more than I'm be looking forward to being away from your thick skull."

"Oh harsh one there." Draco said, leaving the room. "Think of that one yourself?"

"No, I got it from you. That's why it's so lame." Ron elbowed Draco.

The two broke into smothered laughter as they began their trek through the halls.

"So, Fwella should be here sometime this week, right?" Ron asked after a companionable silence fell.  
"Tomorrow afternoon. She's flying in around dinner, I think." Draco said as he stretching his arms above his head, a small smile on his lips. "Can't wait for her to come in."

"You think she'll be telling any secrets on you, Malfoy?" Ron teased.

Draco gave a barking laugh. "You kidding? Of course she is. I don't compare her to an older sister for nothing. That old horse just can't keep her gums shut."

Ron tensed. "Will she say anything about me?"

Draco stopped walking and just looked at Ron for a moment. "She may." He turned right and began descending stairs. "But I know she won't say anything about this summer. Well, maybe stupid things I said about you or your family, but nothing," he hesitated. "Revealing."

"Sure?" Ron asked, following.

Draco snorted and glared at Ron for a moment. "Raised this beast. I know her as she knows me. You can trust me. Or rather, her."

Ron nodded, even though he was standing behind Draco. "Well then, I guess I'll catch up with you later. I'll check out the towers, you go for the dungeons."

"Right then." Draco said. They gave tiny waves in parting before going their separate ways.

(-)

Draco was swirling his wand between his fingers as he walked familiar halls. He was bored and nobody was on some secret, grand adventure that he could ruin to alleviate the boredom.

Draco heard the whispered incantation and before he could think, was turned with a counter-hex falling from his tongue. Blaise dodged the hex with a chuckle.

"I could pull prefect on you right now, you know." Draco said with mock anger in his voice.

Blaise chuckled again, walking towards Draco. "But you won't because I can pull out dirt on you."

Draco snorted. "Sure, let's go with that then."

"Your duties nearly over with, yet?" Blaise asked, falling into step with his friend.

"No." Draco said. "And you'll get us both in trouble if you stay with me."

"So?" Blaise asked with a casual shrug. "Not like I care."

Draco rolled his eyes but said no more about that. "Why are you tormenting me with your unwanted company?"

"To bug you, of course." Blaise said. "I thought that would be obvious."

"Zabini, spit it out. Let's not do this dance tonight." Draco said.

"Fine." Blaise said. "I wanted to have a nice chat with you when you weren't surrounded with people you don't want knowing things. That make any sense?"

"A bit." Draco said. "And what did you want to chat about?"

"Your mysterious Veronica, of course."

"Who?"  
Blaise smiled. "I knew it was a fake name. Your mystery lover who you refuse to talk about."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Don't bother. The whole 'refuse to talk about' thing still applies even here."

"Who is he?" Blaise asked softly.

Draco felt a chill down his spine seconds before he felt his fist crash into Blaise's face.

"What the bloody fuck is wrong with you!" Blaise yelled from his place on the ground, cheek cupped in his palm.

Draco's fists were clenched at his sides and he was breathing heavily through his nose as he stared down at Blaise. "I'm not a bloody fucking puff so shut you goddamned mouth!"

Blaise opened and closed his jaw as he glared up at Draco. "Like bloody hell you aren't!" He growled as he stopped up.

The boys stared each other down, toe to toe, wands forgotten. "You shut your fucking mouth. I'm not fucking queer like that."

Blaise glared harder. He could see the deeply hidden fear in Draco's eyes. That little spark of fear confirmed everything for him.

Blaise punched Draco, hard, in the gut and Draco fell to the ground. Blaise squatted down next to his friend. "I'm not dumb like your two cronies, Draco. Stop playing me for a fool."

The panic overwhelmed Draco and he launched himself up at Blaise. Words were forgotten as animal instinct over took them, sending fists and kicks flying at each other. They rolled around on the floor, trying their hardest to hurt the other as much as possible. Everything was forgotten. Everything but the need to draw the blood of their opponent.

The two were too evenly matched for there to be a true winner. And neither of them cared who'd actually won.

The fight ended with them sitting back to back, breathing heavily. Blaise rested his head on Draco's shoulder as Draco leaned forward, head between his knees.

"You like boys." Blaise said, his breath still shaky from their fight. Pain was stinging through him, and he knew it was doing the same to Draco.

Draco knew it wasn't a question but felt compelled to answer past his bleeding, split lip. "Yes." He hissed.

Blaise heard the defeat in his closest friends voice. "For how long?"

"I dunno." Draco said. He leaned his head back on Blaise's shoulder. "Two years, my whole life. I dunno. I just do."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Blaise asked.

Draco ignored the question as being dumb in his mind. "How'd you figure it out?"

"We share a dorm." Blaise said, rattling Draco's head with a shrug. "You've taken a penchant to talking in your sleep."

"Fuck!" Draco said with vehemence. "Have-"  
"No." Blaise interrupted. He knew that Draco was now paranoid that the other boys who share their dorm have figured out the same thing Blaise had. "They sleep like rocks and I don't sleep."

"I'm going to fucking kill you if you so much as breath a word about this." Draco said sharply and Blaise had no doubts of his seriousness.

"I swear on my honor that this secret is between us for as long as you wish it to be between us." Blaise promised.

Draco nodded.

"So, who is he?" Blaise asked again.

"Please," Draco asked. "One secret per fight and one fight per year." He gave a slightly rueful laugh. "I don't think I'd be able to handle getting all my secrets out in one night."

"Two secrets are all your secrets?" Blaise asked, lightening the mood. "Your life is sad."

Draco smiled. "Well, they're big secrets after all."

Blaise started to laugh. Draco didn't know what was funny, but soon joined his friend in hysterical laughter.

"So, when were you planning on telling me?" Blaise asked after their laughter had died down.

"Never." Draco replied with a smile. "I was planning on dying curled up in a cave alone, old, and gay." His heart beat sped up at the word 'gay' but it didn't feel horrible at all. In fact, Draco could get used to the elated feeling he just got from saying such a small word.

Blaise chuckled. "I can just see you doing that, too." Blaise changed his voice to imitate Draco's. "How now Mr. Mossy-Rock, would you like some pebble crumpets?" Draco chuckled. "But how would Sir Peacock preen himself if he's in a cave? There'd be no one about to show himself off to."

Draco shook his head. "You're an arse, you know that?"

Blaise smiled and closed his eyes. "You tell me so everyday."

(-)

Draco felt relieved. A smile would be on his face if his lips didn't hurt so much and a spring would've been in his step if he wasn't limping. But he felt relieved. The boy he considered his best friend knew one of his secrets, and it was a relief. Draco realized that as soon as it settled in that Blaise knew his secret, he'd be panicked beyond reason, but for now he just enjoyed the feeling of being unburdened.

Draco couldn't help but laugh at Ron's expense when the red head saw him at the end of their prefect duties. He started to physically drag Draco to the infirmary before Draco pulled himself away with the help of a mild stunning hex.

"I'm fine. And the dungeons were clear." He said sternly.

Ron opened his mouth as if to argue, but stopped at the look he was given. Draco's eyes, stance and complete body language all but shook him while screaming to drop the subject. He wanted incredibly much to pursue the topic, but used sheer force of will not to ask any more questions.

"The towers were clear." Ron said. "Time to call it a night?"

"Sure." Draco agreed. He began to set off with his limp and Ron just couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"Stop." Ron said, raising his wand.

"What?" Draco asked, looking at Ron warily.

Ron muttered a charm and tingling spread throughout Draco's body. After a few moments the tingling concentrated on his lip and leg. Draco gave Ron a raised eyebrow at the minor healing charm.

Ron blushed and shrugged. "When you grow up with a big family you learn some charms like that. You'll still hurt tomorrow, it's just gone for now."

Draco nodded. "Thanks."

"Not a problem." He replied, shaking his head.

They both then set off in their respective directions.

(-)

When Draco reached his dorms he just wanted to settle into his bed with a groan. But he just couldn't. It had finally set in the Blaise truly knew and he just didn't want to think about it any longer.

He walked to his chest and took out the vial. A quick swing of it and Draco swallowed it gratefully. He sighed at the sensations it produced in his body. Now he was ready to fall into bed.

He toed his shoes off and removed his cloths slowly, lethargically. When he was finally completely naked he crawled into his bed. He didn't groan but he did feel like he should've. The soft feather bed felt wonderful after the long night.

It didn't take him long to be pulled into sleep.

(-)

Late Sunday morning light greeted him when he next opened his eyes. He yawned and stretched, not wanting to get out of bed. He just wanted to bury himself deep into his covers and fall back asleep for the rest of time.

But he couldn't as something very heavy and unmovable was sitting on his feet. Draco angrily opened his eyes and glared. A smile greeted the glare and Draco wondered how he and Blaise were friends.

"Wakey wakey sleepy head." Blaise said cheerfully. "Don't you have a visitor due to show up in ten minutes?"

Draco scowled for a moment and then remembered. Fwella was coming at noon.

Draco kicked Blaise off of him and scurried to get dressed. He crashed to the ground with a yelp as soon as he put all his weight on his right leg. Blaise laughed hysterically at the sight Draco made, his pants half on, his naked arse in the air and looking thoroughly confused. Draco grumbled as he stood again, testing weight on his injured ankle.

Blaise handed Draco a steaming teal goblet, which Draco downed knowing that it was a healing draft for his injuries. It took a minute or two before the pain went away completely. But during the time it took he hurried as much as he dared to put his clothes on.

Blaise walked with him as he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and do his hair. There was no time for him to primp himself so he just wet it, brushed it and left it down flat.

They didn't speak as Draco panicked about. Blaise just watched his friend with quiet amusement. It wasn't until Draco had finished and they were walking out into the corridors that they spoke again.

"Why are you following me?" Draco asked, his steps only slightly hurried.

"Because I am." Blaise answered. "And if I follow you enough your second secret will slip from your lips and I will know all."

"I'm not telling you." Draco said flatly.

"Yes you will." Blaise said with confidence.

Draco rolled his eyes. He was really not awake enough to argue. He walked in comfortable silence with Blaise to the designated spot where he was to meet Fwella, a smile growing on his lips the entire time.

Fwella was predictably late, but Draco didn't mind. He'd noticed a few minutes before that a redhead was sitting on the school side of the lake watching Draco wait for Fwella. But Draco couldn't dwell on the thoughts he was having about that for long, as Fwella's mighty wings sent her in a controlled plummet to him.

__

/DRACO/ Screamed through his mind as she landed with a graceful 'thwump' and nearly knocked him over with a nuzzle.

"Fwella." Was all Draco managed to get out before grasping onto her neck in a giant hug.

TBC

Thanks To: No messages this time since I have no time.

Faint Hate!

Fu Li Hua!

Mindflayer!

I Heart DM 11!

ElvenGirl2!

Meirta!

Anonymous!


	14. Fourteenth Chapter

Happy First Birthday Freesia op.2 !

I was going to put this out about a week ago, when I noticed something special. winks Happy Birthday to my baby fic. And for a birthday gift, I bring this chapter and a dedication to write at least a page a night for the next few weeks. Which means that, if I do this, updates may be on time. XD They may not though. Depends on if I need sleep or not. But chapter 15 has the basic plot finished and about a paragraph written, so just gotta finish that.

Oh, and for a reminder since it's been so long since I regularly updated, updates are planned for every 3-4 weeks. Of course, with me plans are never written in ink, so just poke me if it's been a month without seeing me.

As always, if you wanna know what I'm up to just ask for the link to my hide away. I'm always there and will always get back to anyone who messages me there.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything related to Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Goddess J.K.Rowling. Freesia op.2 belongs to my beloved Gackt-san, as does Kimi ni aitakute. (if you want any Gackt songs, please tell me and I shall send them to you. I don't have them all, but what I do have I will gladly share.) Aburey and Fwella do belong to me. Please don't steal them or I'll cry and most probably hurt you.

Warning: OOC!Draco. Will be Draco/Ron slash.

And since I'm a copy/paste whore, I haven't forgotten this.

"blah" Regular speech

/blah/ Fwella speech.

"blah" Mermaid speech.

None of what I try to use to separate works! (Cries) (-) Will now be my lame separator.

Freesia op.2 by Aloh Dark

Draco giggled like a little child as he joyously buried his face in Fwella's mane. He didn't care that he had an audience to the scene he was making. He was too happy to care what anyone else thought. Fwella was there, and that's all that he could care about.

/Draco/ A warm, familiar voice said in his mind. _/I've missed you something terrible./_

A warm, familiar voice said in his mind. 

Draco laughed and pulled away. "It's not even been a month, you silly horse."

A huge smile graced Draco's lips, causing Blaise to look at Fwella oddly. He never saw Draco smile as widely as he did with Fwella any time else. Fwella held a power of the blond boy that made him happy no matter what.

Fwella pushed Draco away with her nose. _/I haven't seen you in a long time, Sir Blaise./_

Blaise gave Fwella a half-smile. "Life with my family has had me unfortunately busy, Fair Lady. But now you are here and I shall be forced to slay Sir Draco if he monopolizes your time." Blaise flirted. "And after the horrible dragon is slain we may ride off into the sunset like proper lovers." He finished with a bow.

Fwella's high pitched, eerily human-like laugh sounded forth. _/Don't raise an old horses hopes up, there. In any case, if the Beast named Draco was so easy to kill, I'd've done it long ago./_

"How true." Blaise agreed.

"Yeah," Draco said, rolling his eyes. "Let's just plot out my demise in front of me. How stupid could you both be?"

/Sorry, love./ Fwella said, nibbling at Draco's hair._ /You've just rubbed off on us./_

Fwella said, nibbling at Draco's hair. 

Blaise laughed and Draco tried to look offended.

(-)

Ron watched from across the lake, mentally torn. He wanted to go great Fwella, but the presence of Blaise prevented him. Had Draco been alone, there would've been no question in the matter, and Ron would be over there with Fwella at that moment. But Blaise was there in his place, and Ron resented that.

Why should he be forced to watch across the lake when Draco was over there with Fwella? It wasn't fair that he couldn't be with his friends because of someone else. He knew he should just march over there and great the Pegasus without a worry, like he would've done just a few months before.

But, something in his mind stopped him. He didn't want to harm the growing friendship he had with Draco in anyway. Blaise was Draco's best friend, everyone in school knew that. If Blaise didn't like him, then Draco would have another force pushing him away from Ron. The thought of that happening hurt Ron more than he thought it should.

(-)

/Draco, darling./ Fwella whispered in Draco's mind. _/Why is Ron over there instead of over here with us/_

Fwella whispered in Draco's mind. 

Draco gave no vocal or mental indication that he'd answered Fwella's inquiry. He just subtlety looked over at Ron, then Blaise before looking straight into Fwella's eyes. Fwella noticed the barest hint of nod of Draco's head. Too small to be truly considered a true nod, but to Fwella is was way too deliberate to be anything but.

Fwella's mind began to work through all the possibilities of what Draco had just told her. It was true that Ron was over there, clearly wanting to great her, but was being kept on the sidelines by the presence of Blaise. It was also true, she knew, that Ron was a Gryffindor, and being such would never associate willingly with Slytherins. Add to the fact that Draco was one of the Slytherins, it was being quite clear why a lake separated them.

Not only would Ron be putting himself into the glaring eyes of inquisition if he came over to say hello, but he would be shoving Draco into the light as well, with Blaise as a witness to the scene. Any normal person wouldn't have even come out if there was the risk of their friends being suspicious of them, but Ron's love for his friends drew him out.

But wouldn't that put him at odds with his other friends?

Fwella's mind began to swirl and she stopped thinking about it. Ron wasn't saying hi because of Blaise, and she left it at that in her mind. She knew that they'd speak later. She'd make sure of it even if she had to leave some hoof prints in some skulls to do it. Fwella laughed at the sudden mental image of her standing talking to Ron with Draco's head beneath her hoof.

"What's so funny?" Draco asked, half knowing what she was most probably thinking of.

/The thought of me standing on your head./ Fwella honestly said. _/Nothing more, nothing less. Just wanna crush your skull, you're so cute./_

Fwella honestly said. 

The three of the laughed at the weirdness of her statement.

(-)

It wasn't until the mid afternoon when Draco and Fwella were finally left alone. Blaise had to go off and do something that Draco was pretty sure he'd made up and Hagrid, who'd stopped by to chat with Fwella, was gone as well.

/Oh love, I've missed you./ Fwella whispered, nuzzling Draco's ear after a long comfortable silence.

Draco grinned, raising his hand to cup her cheek. "Oh Fwella, Fwella, Fwella. You've no idea how badly I've missed you, and it's only been two weeks. How are possibly going to survive this year?"

/With lots of letters and visits home./ Fwella said before they fell into silence once again.

Fwella's ears twitched at the sound of approaching foot steps. She didn't alert Draco to a visitor since she knew those footsteps and from the way Draco had shifted and the small smile she saw on his lips, she knew that he knew.

"It's good to see you again, Fwella." Ron's voice drifted on a soft wind to their ears.

Draco sat up and turned to face the red head. "Come on and sit and chat." He invited.

Ron smiled back, taking a seat across from the two of them and resting against a tree.

/It's great to see you Ron./ Fwella said. _/It's wonderful to see that Draco hadn't killed you./_

Fwella said. 

Ron laughed. "No worries there. That scrawny thing couldn't hurt a fly, let alone me."

Fwella laughed as Draco threw grass at Ron. "Shut up. You know bloody well that I could beat your arse any damn day."

Ron smirked. "You sure about that?" He challenged. "I did have the twins for brothers. Trust me, nothing you do can compare to what they did."

Draco chucked and settled back against Fwella. "You've got me there."

Fwella laughed softly again. _/You two are dorks./_ She told them before giggling.

Draco threw grass at Fwella. "Am not, you halfwit."

/I'd rather be a halfwit than a dumb blond/ Fwella retorted. Ron laughed hysterically as the two broke into a hearty round of insults.

Draco glared over at Ron. "What's so funny?" He demanded. Ron could see the mischievous spark in his eyes even though his face and body language screamed rage.

"Your face, of course!" Ron said between laughs.

With Fwella's neighing laugh at that remark the three broke into giggles and insults.

(-)

Just before dinner Draco and Ron were forced to say good night to Fwella, and attend dinner and then perform their prefect duties.

She watched them walk off together with soft eyes. She could see it, even if they couldn't. After being with Draco so long, she knew just from the way he acted and what unconsciously did. Fwella hummed to herself and began plotting in her mind what to do. It was so very obvious to her that Draco was totally smitten and she was more than half certain that Ron felt the same way.

(-)

After dinner Draco walked back to his dorm with a slight spring in his step. Fwella was there, and that was all he needed to be happy. He opened his trunk with a quick flick of the wrist and began rummaging through its contents. He searched for his box of music orbs and upon finding it, pulled it out and tossed it onto his bed.

He stared at the closed box for a moment, thinking of what he wanted to listen to. He nodded his head when he finally came up with a decision. He pulled out an orb he hadn't listened to in a long time with a small smile on his lips. Once turned on it glowed a soft, shimmering blue. The orb waited in the air, hovering silently, for Draco to tell it which song to play.

"Kimi ni aitakute." Draco finally said before placing the orb against his temple. Once he was ready to leave, he walked out through the door, half hearing the world around him and half hearing Gackt's voice in his head.

Draco began his rounds with low humming to the songs in his head. He abruptly stopped at the sound of voices in the hall he was about to turn into. He paused the song he was listening to then and listened solely upon the voices, recognizing them without any hesitation.

"Cut the crap!" Hermione suddenly harshly said, breaking off Ron's ramblings. "Ronald all we want to know is happened that changed you!"

"I grew up!" Ron's voice said with frustration tearing through it as if he'd said those words many times and was never believed.

"But it's Malfoy!" Harry's voice cut in with disgust.

"He's not what you think." Ron said roughly through his teeth. Draco dared a peek around the corner. Hermione and Harry had Ron backed up against the wall, moonlight sparsely decorating their faces.

"And what does that mean?" Hermione asked, her eyes wide and pleading. To Draco it looked like she alone wanted to truly understand what was going on while Harry only wanted to know why his friend betrayed him. Ron lowered his eyes and looked away. From Draco's distance he couldn't tell if the boy was blushing or not.

"I told you before." Ron said miserably. "Why don't you listen?"

Harry rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "We always listen. You just don't make sense!" He snapped

Draco could see Ron visibly recoil and then move as if to lash back. Draco couldn't help himself and hadn't realized he was moving until his fist connected with Harry's jaw.

"Draco!" "Malfoy!" Ron and Hermione cried out at the same time as they watched Harry fall to the ground.

Hermione fell to her knees next to the visibly enraged Harry while Ron had wrapped his arms around Draco, hauling him off the ground and pinning his arms to his side. Even though his arms were restrained, his voice was not and Draco intended to use it to its fullest.

"You fucking bloody arsehole!" Harry screamed. "I'll kill you!"

Draco spat at him. "Shut your fucking mouth!" He hissed. "You worthless piece of trash! When do you ever listen to Ron? When! Do you even ask him his opinion or do you think only of your bloody self?"

"Draco, stop." Ron said, tightening his hold on the struggling boy.

Hermione was restraining Harry as best she could but she couldn't stop him from punching Draco in the gut. "Harry!" Hermione cried, pulling him back to her.

"Is that all you've got?" Draco growled, finally breaking free of Ron's arms. "I expected better from the Great Savior." He sneered.

Neither Hermione or Ron could stop the two from charging each other in a primal, animalistic clash. Ron and Hermione watched in horror as the two boys ripped into each other with all the leashed in anger of the past years.

In the flurry of arms, legs and teeth it was hard to tell who would be the victor. It wasn't until Draco slammed his fist one last time into Harry jaws before staggering to his feet that it was shown who'd one. Draco wiped away the blood running down his lips with the back of his wrist before spitting blood on Harry's prone form.

Draco felt pride racing through his body. He'd won a fight. He'd finally won a physical fight. He knew at least one rib was broken, his ankle hurt like hell and he couldn't feel his left hand or his face, but he'd never felt better. Looking down upon Harry's much more beaten body, he felt a rush of pride in himself and a desire to kill. Harry looked weak and pathetic, so very easy to squish like a bug. Draco finally understood what his father felt after every fight and after every muggle killed.

Ron watched as Draco's face went from pride to ashen. His eyes were wide as Draco stumbled to the side and began to throw up against the wall while moaning 'no' so low that only Ron could barely hear it.

Harry raised himself up onto his feet with Hermione's help, the whole while glaring hate at Draco and Ron. He was about to open his mouth when footfalls froze them all in their tracks. Hermione and Ron whispered quick cleaning spells before hauling the beaten boys off in different directions.

By the time Snape had reached the hall the only thing remaining was a shimmering blue orb. Snape bent over, picking it up and staring at it for a moment before turning it off. He knew exactly who the orb belong to and would find out why it was there in the morning.

(-)

Draco groaned as Ron roughly sat him down on a desk in an abandoned room. Draco watched Ron's lips move through blurry eyes but couldn't make out the words. He felt like absolute hell. He hadn't felt so bad since the last time his father had taken the cane to him.

He stared blankly as Ron set about cleaning and healing the visible wounds on his body. A thought occurred to Draco suddenly and he barked out a laugh that quickly turned into a groan.

"Two fights in two days." Draco explained through a swollen lip. "Blaise beat me yesterday." Draco winced as the sound of his own voice hurt his head worse.

"I thought you two were close friends." Ron said as he patched up a cut on Draco's arm.

"We are." Draco said. "He wanted to know somethin' I didn't wanna say."

"And that is?" Ron asked.

Draco tried to smile but it hurt to much. "If I didn't wanna tell him, I'm not telling you."

"Oh? And why's that?" Ron asked, sitting back on his heals so he could stare into Draco's eyes.

Draco felt his heat skip a beat. Ron saw all the emotion be cut out of Draco's eyes without any warning. Draco stood up clumsily as he shoved Ron away. "None of your business." He hobbled over to his robes, grabbing them before turning to door. "Just go back to your friends and forget. 'S better for you."

Ron watched as Draco fumbled away. He stood in shocked silence as Draco walked out of the room. Once out of the room, Draco shoved his hand deep into the pocket of his robe and pull out his small crystal vile. He uncorked it with slight difficulty, his right hand not wanting to work as well as it should, before he downed it in one gulp. The blissfully numbness quickly spread.

"What was that?" Ron's voice broke through and into his mind.

Draco didn't bother turning. "Nothing. Just go away." Draco could feel his tongue getting heavier as he spoke. He thought it was weird that the potion was working so quickly before he realized that he'd forgotten to dilute it.

"You're a prick." Ron told him, his fist clenched at his sides and his eyes narrowed.

Draco opened his mouth to say that he was but was introduced to the floor before he could. The last thing he remembered hearing was Ron gasping his name in shock.

TBC

THANKS, as always, TO!

Siren713! Aw, I love Fwella too. Naw, Blaise is one of those friends who's always there, even if they drift apart. Thanks so much for sticking with this through my temporary death! And if I ever die again, just start poking me repeatedly until I do what you want.

Meirta! huggles Anything for you. Absolutely anything for you. Heh, I can't thank you enough for giving me that push to start writing again. Anything you want, just tell me. Hehe, Fwella's gotta come back, those block heads wouldn't do anything without her rough pushing. I don't understand how Slytherin can't have friendships in some fics. They may be Slytherins, but they're still kids. Kids need friends, especially while they're teens. And I like Blaise, besides, he's just mentioned enough to create a base to play with.

skinnyrita! Lol, sorry sorry! Here's more! Just don't hurt me, lol. Thanks so much for the review!

Yoshi12! Thanks! Here!

Mushi Kararu! dies laughing How much does it cost to have your mad narrator skillz? Hehe, I hope this pleases you oh Mighty Narrator!

Kari Morgana Black! Hehe, trust me, I want to get to the boy lovin' too but I'm trying to keep this as realistic as possible. Heheh, maybe my need for boy lovin' will leak into some one shots, or side stories. Or something.. Hehe, we'll leave everything up to Fwella, she'll get those boys to censor

RYan Schiff! Thanky very much. Heheh, that line was half made up as I wrote, half not. M'friend Bryan likes to say something like that every time he dumps someone and it's just infested my thoughts.


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